INCALAND 


CLAUDE  H.WETMORE 


Incaland 


"  He  ran  forward,  closely  followed  by  the  others.  ' 


INCALAND 

A  Story  of  Adventure  in  the  Interior 
of  Peru 

AND  THE  CLOSING  CHAPTERS  OF  THE 
WAR   WITH   CHILE 


CLAUDE   H.   WETMORE 

AUTHOR  OF    "FIGHTING  UNDER  THE  SOUTHERN  CROSS,"   ETC. 

With  Illustrations  by  H.  Burgess 


BOSTON   AND    CHICAGO 
W.   A.    WILDE    COMPANY 


.'.  :  tB^  w:  /f..sWi£DE  JCQ'MPANY. 

'     *  *  &lt rigtits  reserved. 


INCALAND. 


Preface. 

SINCE  the  years  of  the  Chile-Peruvian  War  — 
1879-1883  —  a  great  change  has  come  over  the  land 
where  the  Incas  once  held  power.  Military  rulers 
have  yielded  place  to  men  chosen  from  the  civil 
walks  of  life;  the  large  standing  army  has  been 
disbanded,  and  the  pick,  hoe,  and  shovel  replace 
sword,  bayonet,  and  rifle. 

Peru's  decline,  from  the  days  of  Pizarro  until  near 
the  close  of  the  nineteenth  century,  was  due  to  the 
ease  with  which  natural  wealth  could  be  acquired. 
The  stages  of  the  nation's  fall  are  marked  by  gold, 
guano,  and  nitrate  of  soda.  Spaniards  lived  in 
opulence  while  Indian  slaves  unearthed  the  yellow 
metal.  Later,  Peruvians  lived  in  idleness  while 
coolies  and  peons  shovelled  the  most  productive  of 
all  fertilizers  from  the  surface  of  the  Chincha  and 
Lobos  Islands.  Then  in  the  south  was  found  an 
equally  rich  and  equally  accessible  source  of  reve 
nue  in  the  nitrate  of  soda. 

All  gold  that  lay  in  sight  was  exhausted  by  the 
Spaniard ;  all  guano  was  stripped  from  the  treasure 
islands;  and  finally,  Chile  wrested  from  Peru  the 
nitrate  provinces. 

It  is  this  period  of  time  —  when  Peru's  last  visible 

F53S988 


6  PBEFACB. 

means  of  wealth  was  passing  from  her  —  that  is 
covered  in  "  Fighting  under  the  Southern  Cross " 
and  "Incaland." 

Peru  emerged  from  beneath  the  war  cloud  stag 
gering  under  the  burden  of  a  foreign  debt.  To  her 
relief  came  representatives  of  an  Anglo-American 
syndicate.  "  Give  us  your  railroads  for  sixty-nine 
years,"  they  said.  "  We  will  extend  them  into  the 
fertile  interior,  and  as  compensation  we  will  assume 
your  obligations."  Peru  acquiesced.  The  Grace- 
Donoughmore  contract  was  signed.  Bondholders 
were  satisfied. 

The  shackles  of  debt  cast  one  side,  the  men  of 
Peru  turned  to  work,  guided  by  the  rulers  chosen 
from  civil  life  who  had  been  placed  in  power. 
They  no  longer  depended  upon  the  labor  of  a  few 
to  maintain  the  majority  in  indolence. 

They  tunnelled  and  dug  in  the  Sierra  region  and 
brought  to  light  a  wealth  of  copper;  they  sank 
wells  in  the  north  and  were  rewarded  with  flowing 
oil;  they  constructed  irrigation  canals  in  Piura 
Province,  and  developed  a  cotton  which,  because 
of  its  lustre  and  resemblance  to  wool,  is  creating 
a  furore  in  the  New  York  and  Liverpool  markets. 

Gold,  guano,  nitrate,  are  the  tombstones  of  old 
Peru ;  agriculture  and  mining  are  the  watchwords 
of  the  new. 

The  dawn  of  a  brighter  day  for  Incaland  is  glint 
ing  over  the  Andean  chain. 


Contents. 

3HAPTEE  PAGE 

I.    IN  THE  ANDES 11 

II.  THE  MONTANA  OF  PERU    .        .        .        .        .32 

III.  A  SNAKE  AND  A  PUMA      .....      44 

IV.  IN  THE  COILS  OF  A  BOA  .....      54 

V.  HUARI,    AND    THE    STORY   OF    THE   BEAUTIFUL 

COUNTESS  .        .        ...        .        .        .66 

VI.  A  DISCOVERY  AND  AN  ALARM  ....      85 

VII.  THE  CANNIBALS  OF  PERU.        .        .        •        .99 

VEIL  THE  FORT  ON  THE  MARANON  ....    113 

IX.    ATTACKED  BY  CANNIBALS 125 

X.  NEAR  TO  DEATH'S  DOOR   .        .   '    .        .        .137 

XI.  BEYOND  THE  WHITE  ROCK        .        .        .        .    142 

XII.  HARVEY  AS  A  SENTRY       .        .        .        •        .    157 

XIII.  BELLA  CACERAS  RECOGNIZES  A  VOICE     .        .    170 

XIV.  BLOCKADE  OF  CALLAO  HARBOR        .        ,        .186 
XV.  DARNING  THE  NEEDLE       .....    200 

XVI.  JOHN  LONGMORE'S  REVENGE                     •            207 

7 


8  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER 

XVII.  JOHN  LONGMORE'S  REVENGE  (CONTINUED)      .  219 

XVIII.  JOHN  LONGMORE'S  REVENGE  (CONCLUDED)     .  236 

XIX.  A  STRANGE  DISAPPEARANCE     ....  248 

XX.  A  CHASE  INTO  THE  PAMPAS  COUNTRY    .        .  261 

XXI.  OLD  GLORY  IN  THE  BAY 282 

XXII.  DARK  DAYS  IN  INCALAND         ....  292 

XXIII.  AN    APPEAL    TO    THE    UNITED    STATES    OF 

AMERICA    ......  296 


Illustrations. 


"  He  ran  forward,  closely  followed  by  the  others  "     . 

Frontispiece      41 

"  Ran  ...  to  the  side  of  his  friend,  whom  he  seized  by 

the  coUar " ;        .        .61 

"  Angry  copper-colored  faces  showed  at  the  opening  "       .     135 
"  This  engine  of  death  drifted  slowly  into  the  mist "         .     216 

"  Two  black  streaks,  bearing  fluffy  burdens  of  white,  were 

moving  swiftly  down  the  moonlit  road  "...    280 


INCALAM). 

CHAPTER  I.     lJj>|JV.       C 
IN  THE  ANDES'.  ,»  ,'>1»>>,  °r, ,  >          j 

HARVEY  held  some  of  the  white  substance  in 
both  hands,  examined  it  curiously,  then  let 
it  filter  through  his  benumbed  fingers. 

"  This  is  snow,  isn't  it  ?  "  he  exclaimed. 

Hope-Jones  and  Ferguson  laughed. 

"  What !  Have  you  never  seen  snow  before  ?  " 
asked  the  former. 

"  Of  course  not.  Didn't  I  tell  you  that  I  visited 
the  States  only  once,  when  I  was  little  more  than 
a  baby,  and  remained  but  a  month  or  two  ?  I've 
never  been  in  these  regions  any  more  than  have  you. 
I  can  remember  rainfall,  but  snow !  this  is  the  first 
I  have  seen,"  and  he  stooped  over  again,  scooping 
up  a  fresh  handful  of  the  white,  fluffy  flakes  that 
had  covered  the  ground  to  the  depth  of  an  inch. 

"  Look  out !  "  screamed  Hope-Jones. 

Ferguson  and  Harvey  jumped  to  one  side,  warned 
by  the  cry,  not  a  second  too  soon,  for  a  huge 

11 


12  IJSICALAND. 

boulder,  roaring  with  the  sound  of  an  express  train, 
bounded  down  the  mountain  side,  crashed  over  the 
place  where  they  had  stood,  and  disappeared  below 
the  ledge,  reverberating  as  it  fell  into  the  chasm. 

"  Narrow  escape  that !  " 

"  I  should  say  so,"  said  Harvey,  who  had  dropped 
bis  snow  and  stood  looking  at  the  two  young  men, 
liis  cheeks  quite  pale. 

.^h6  ttiee  who  thus  had  barely  escaped  death  were 
explorers  from  Callao,  Peru,  in  the  year  1879,  and 
this  day  they  were  eight  hours'  walk  beyond  Chicla, 
the  highest  point  to  which  the  Oroya  railroad  had 
been  built,  and  to  which  terminal  they  had  journeyed 
by  train  from  the  main  seacoast  city  of  Peru. 

Harvey  Dartmoor  was  seventeen  years  of  age,  the 
birthday  which  marked  his  passage  from  sixteen 
having  been  celebrated  a  week  before  his  departure 
from  home.  His  father  had  been  a  wealthy  iron 
merchant  in  Peru,  but  the  reverses  which  that  coun 
try  had  sustained  in  the  few  months  of  the  war  with 
Chile,  and  which  are  described  in  detail  in  "  Fight 
ing  Under  the  Southern  Cross,"  had  forced  Mr. 
Dartmoor,  as  well  as  many  others  in  Lima  and 
Callao,  to  the  brink  of  the  financial  precipice  beneath 
which  yawned  the  chasm,  ruin. 

Harvey  had  been  more  in  the  confidence  of  his 
father  than  Louis,  who  was  a  year  older.  This  was 
perhaps  due  to  the  younger  lad's  resemblance  to  his 


IN   THE   ANDES.  13 

father,  in  face  and  in  personal  bearing  ;  or,  perhaps, 
to  the  fact  that  he  was  more  studiously  inclined  and 
therefore  passed  more  time  at  home  than  did  Louis, 
who  was  fond  of  outdoor  sports,  and  preferred  a  spin 
in  Callao  Bay,  or  a  dash  over  the  pampas  on  his  pony, 
with  his  chum  Carl  Saunders  as  a  companion,  to 
poring  over  books  in  the  library. 

It  was  in  this  manner  —  by  being  frequently  at 
home  and  in  the  office  —  that  Harvey  had  learned  of 
his  father's  distress  of  mind,  caused  by  financial  diffi 
culties,  long  before  other  members  of  the  family  had 
realized  the  true  state  of  affairs ;  and  this  observance 
by  the  lad  and  his  inquiries  had  as  a  sequel  his 
appearance  in  the  great  Andes  chain,  or  the  Cor 
dilleras  of  Peru. 

His  companions  were  an  Englishman  and  an 
American,  who  had  resigned  ^clerkships  in  offices  to 
undertake  this  journey.  Horace  Hope-Jones,  the 
senior,  had  been  five  years  on  the  Peruvian  coast, 
coming  to  Callao  from  Liverpool,  and  John  Ferguson 
had  lived  in  Ohio  until  1875,  when  he  was  offered 
a  very  good  salary  to  enter  the  employ  of  a  large 
American  house  which  had  branch  establishments  in 
several  cities  on  the  southwest  coast.  One  was 
twenty-three,  the  other  twenty-two. 

They  were  well  known  in  the  cities,  and  were 
popular  in  amateur  athletic  circles,  both  having  been 
members  of  a  famous  four  of  the  Callao  Rowing 


14  INCALAND. 

Club,  that  had  wrested  victory  from  fours  sent  from 
Valparaiso,  Panama,  and  other  cities.  Harvey  Dart 
moor  was  a  junior  member  of  this  club,  and  it  was 
while  serving  as  coxswain  that  he  became  acquainted 
with  Hope -Jones  and  Ferguson. 

It  came  about  curiously  that  the  three  were  in  the 
Andes,  at  an  altitude  of  16,500  feet,  this  twenty- 
third  day  of  August,  1879.  Two  days  before  they 
had  stood  on  the  beach  at  Callao,  breakers  of  the 
Pacific  Ocean  dashing  at  their  feet ;  now  they  were 
in  a  wilderness  of  granite,  snow-capped  peaks  rising 
on  every  side,  and  behind,  towering  above  these, 
were  still  others,  stretching  in  a  seemingly  endless 
chain. 

Their  quest  in  this  vastness  was  gold,  and  an 
Indian's  narrative  caused  their  search  for  yellow 
metal  in  the  interior,  where  the  great  Incas  once 
ruled. 

Hope-Jones  and  Ferguson  had  lived  in  bachelor 
apartments  in  Lima,  which  is  eight  miles  from 
Callao,  and  for  a  year  their  wants  had  been  attended 
to  by  an  old  native,  named  Huayno,  who  cooked 
their  meals,  made  their  beds  and  kept  their  rooms 
tidy. 

He  was  singularly  uncommunicative  during  the 
first  eight  months  of  his  service,  but  later,  falling  ill 
and  being  treated  kindly  by  the  young  men,  he  told 
them  that  he  was  of  direct  descent  from  the  Incas  ; 


IN  THE   ANDES.  15 

indeed,  that  there  flowed  through  his  veins  blood  of 
the  royal  Atahuallpa,  and  that  he  might  have  been 
a  king  had  not  the  race  been  first  betrayed  by  the 
white  men  from  Spain  and  then  gradually  extermi 
nated,  until  only  a  few  were  left ;  and  these 
wandered  in  bands  through  the  interior,  turned 
from  a  once  proud  people  to  Philistines,  because  of 
the  injustice  done  them. 

Thus  old  Huayno  would  talk  evenings  for  hour 
after  hour,  speaking  in  Spanish  with  a  strange  mix 
ture  of  the  Indian  tongue,  and  they  would  listen 
intently,  because  he  told  wonderful  things  of  life  in 
that  portion  of  the  interior  to  the  north  of  Cerro 
de  Pasco,  where  the  foot  of  white  man  had  never 
trod. 

The  Indian  became  worse  instead  of  better,  and 
finally  was  bedridden.  Hope- Jones  and  Ferguson 
had  grown  much  attached  to  him.  They  recognized 
a  person  above  the  station  in  which  circumstances 
had  placed  him,  and,  moreover,  they  felt  sorry  for 
one  who  was  far  away  from  his  people  and  so  lonely. 
Therefore,  instead  of  sending  him  to  a  hospital,  they 
called  a  doctor  and  engaged  a  nurse  to  be  near  his 
side  during  the  day,  while  they  were  absent  at  their 
offices.  The  physician  shook  his  head,  after  examin 
ing  the  old  man,  and  said  :  — 

"  He  cannot  linger  long  ;  perhaps  a  week,  possibly 
two,  but  no  longer." 


16  INCALAND. 

Ten  days  later  the  end  came,  and  a  few  hours 
before  Huayno  breathed  his  last,  he  beckoned  Hope- 
Jones  and  Ferguson  to  his  side. 

"My  masters,  I  know  that  I  am  about  to  die," 
said  he.  "  The  sun  of  my  life  is  setting  in  the  hills 
and  soon  it  will  have  disappeared.  Before  darkness 
comes  I  have  much  to  tell  you.  In  these  weeks  you 
have  done  much  for  me,  as  much  as  you  would  have 
done  a  brother  ;  and  so  I,  in  turn,  shall  do  for  you. 
Give  me,  I  pray  you,  from  that  bottle,  so  the  strength 
may  come  to  my  voice." 

One  of  them  handed  him  a  glass,  into  which  he 
had  poured  some  cordial,  and  the  Indian  drank 
slowly,  then  raised  himself  partly  in  bed,  leaning  on 
pillows  which  had  been  placed  behind  his  back. 

He  was  a  tall,  well-formed  man,  his  skin  of  light 
copper  color,  and  he  wore  a  beard  that  reached  half 
way  to  his  waist.  His  cheeks  were  much  sunken  and 
shrivelled,  and  resembled  stained  pieces  of  chamois 
skin  that  had  been  wet,  then  dried  without  stretch 
ing.  His  luminous  black  eyes  glistened  from  deep 
cavities  under  shiny  brows. 

"  I  am  of  the  tribe  of  Ayulis,"  he  continued,  his 
voice  much  firmer.  "  They  now  inhabit  the  country 
round  about  the  river  Maranon,  where  they  cultivate 
yacas,  plantains,  maize,  and  cotton,  and  from  the  lat 
ter  the  women  weave  gay  cloths,  so  that  their  attire 
is  of  more  splendid  color  than  that  of  any  tribe. 


IN   THE   ANDES.  17 

Eighty-five  years  ago  it  was  not  thus  ;  then  we  were 
not  compelled  to  cultivate  the  fields,  for  having  gold 
in  abundance  we  employed  others  to  work.  That 
gold  proved  our  curse,  for  the  white  men  came  from 
Spain  and  levied  tribute  upon  us,  more  and  more 
each  year,  until  we  knew  that  soon  all  would  be 
taken  away.  They  levied  tribute  which  we  were 
compelled  to  pay,  but  they  never  learned  from  where 
we  secured  the  metal,  although  they  searched  in  par 
ties  large  and  small  and  put  many  of  our  leading 
men  to  the  torture,  in  effort  to  force  the  secret  from 
them.  An  Ayulis  has  no  fear  of  pain,  and  they 
laughed  when  burned  with  hot  irons  and  when  boil 
ing  oil  was  poured  upon  them. 

"  When  at  last  the  Spaniards  drove  them  too  far, 
they  choked  the  approaches  to  the  mine  with  the 
trunks  of  huge  trees,  and  all  voiced  a  pledge  that 
the  place  should  never  be  opened  again,  nor  would 
the  location  be  made  known  to  these  unwelcome  vis 
itors  from  Spain.  I  am  one  hundred  years  old  now  ; 
I  was  twenty  then,  and  I  remember  well  the  great 
meeting  of  our  tribe.  Later  we  were  revenged. 
Six  months  from  that  day  we  joined  forces  with  the 
Jivaros,  and  at  night  we  entered  the  town  of  Lo- 
grono,  where  a  terrible  butchery  befell.  Every 
white  man  was  beheaded  and  every  woman  was  car 
ried  away.  Then  other  white  men  came  and  we 
were  hunted  through  the  forests  for  years,  until  at 


18  INC  ALAND. 

last  we   settled  on  the  banks  of  the   Maranon  and 
there  turned  our  attention  to  farming. 

"  We  thought  no  more  of  gold,  my  masters,  for 
that  had  been  our  curse  ;  but  well  I  remember  the 
days  when  the  yellow  metal  was  in  plenty,  and  with 
these  eyes  I  have  seen  a  nugget  of  gold  taken  from 
the  mine  of  which  I  speak,  that  was  as  large  as  a 
horse's  head  and  weighed  four  arrobas.1  Silver  was 
so  plentiful  and  iron  so  scarce  that  horses  were  shod 
with  the  white  metal. 

"Now  I  come  to  a  time  later  by  twenty  years, 
when,  by  accident,  I  killed  a  man  of  our  tribe. 
They  would  not  believe  me  that  I  had  meant  him  no 
harm,  and  that  the  arrow  was  not  sped  by  design, 
but  they  declared  that  I  should  die.  Had  I  been 
guilty  I  would  have  awaited  the  punishment ;  but  I 
was  innocent,  and  so  I  fled,  and  for  a  time  I  joined 
the  savages  on  the  Ucalayli,  but  in  a  few  years  I 
pushed  on,  over  the  mountains,  to  this  coast  where  I 
have  since  been." 

Hope-Jones  and  Ferguson  had  listened  breath 
lessly,  bending  forward,  for  the  old  Indian's  voice 
had  grown  weaker  and  weaker.  Soon  he  added :  — 

"  I  will  tell  you  where  the  gold  mine  lies,  for  you 
have  been  kind  to  me.  Take  paper  and  pencil,  that 
you  may  write  down  what  I  may  say  and  not  forget." 

They  did  so,  and  he  went  on  :  — 
1  One  hundred  pounds. 


IN  THE   ANDES.  19 

"  Cross  the  mountains  to  Oroya,  go  north  even  to 
Huari,  all  that  way  it  is  easy.  From  Huari  go 
further  north,  three  days  on  foot,  to  the  great  for 
est  of  cinchona  trees,  which  commence  at  the  sources 
of  the  upper  Maranon.  Enter  this  forest  at  Mirgoso, 
a  village  of  few  huts  in  my  day,  probably  larger  now. 
It  is  here  that  the  Maranon  properly  commences. 
Follow  the  river,  keeping  in  sight  the  right  bank 
all  the  way.  Travel  six  days  by  foot  and  you  will 
suddenly  see  a  great  white  rock.  Beyond  this  once 
was  a  path,  leading  further  north  a  half  mile. 
Along  it  trees  have  been  felled;  they  are  rotted 
now.  Push  on  and  you  will  find  the  mine.  An 
other  —  another  — 

They  bent  closer,  for  his  breath  was  coming  in 
spasms. 

"  Another  white  rock  marks  —  " 

They  sprang  to  his  side  ;  a  strange  rattle  sounded 
in  his  throat. 

"Lift  me  that  I  may  see  the  setting  sun." 

They  did  so  and  he  looked  out  the  window,  toward 
Callao,  where  the  ball  of  red  was  sinking.  Then  he 
fell  back,  dead. 

For  several  days  the  young  men  said  little  con 
cerning  the  Indian's  story.  They  gave  his  body 
fitting  burial  in  the  little  cemetery  at  Bella  Vista, 
and  returned  to  their  work  at  office  desks.  It  all 
seemed  a  dream  to  them ;  either  they  had  dreamed 


20  INC  ALAND. 

or  they  had  listened  to  the  ravings  of  Huayno.  But 
after  a  week  they  commenced  to  discuss  the  narra 
tive,  first  curiously,  as  one  might  talk  of  a  fairy  tale, 
then  earnestly,  as  if  their  minds  were  becoming  con 
vinced  that  it  had  foundation  in  fact. 

Why  was  it  impossible  ?  Were  not  legends  heard 
from  every  tongue  of  the  fabulous  wealth  of  the 
Incas  ?  Was  it  not  said  that  they  had  secret  mines, 
from  which  gold  and  silver  had  been  taken,  and 
which  mines  were  closed  and  their  bearings  lost 
after  the  advent  of  the  white  man?  Had  there  not 
been  wonderful  wealth  in  Cuzco  ?  —  a  temple  covered 
with  sheets  of  gold  and  heaps  of  treasure  ?  At  Caja- 
maraca,  did  not  Atahuallpa  offer  Pizarro,  as  a  ran 
som,  sufficient  gold  to  fill  the  apartment  in  which  he 
was  confined  and  twice  that  amount  of  silver  ? 

There  could  be  no  reason  for  the  Indian  to  deceive 
them  ;  there  was  every  reason  why  he  should  have 
told  them  the  truth.  Would  it  not  be  wise  to  go 
into  the  interior  and  investigate  ? 

Nothing  stood  in  the  way.  They  had  youth  and 
strength,  the  journey  would  be  of  advantage  physi 
cally  ;  each  had  a  small  sum  of  money  in  bank  and  a 
portion  of  this  would  furnish  everything  they  might 
need  on  the  trip,  leaving  sufficient  for  emergencies 
upon  their  return,  should  they  prove  unsuccess 
ful. 

These  arguments,  advanced  by  one,  then  by  the 


IN   THE   ANDES.  21 

other,  determined  them,  and  one  evening  Ferguson 
jumped  up  from  his  seat  at  table  and  exclaimed  :  — 

"  Let's  go  !  " 

"  Say  we  do,"  answered  Hope- Jones. 

"Agreed?" 

"Agreed." 

"Shake  on  it." 

They  clasped  hands,  and  it  was  settled. 

The  very  next  afternoon  they  were  discussing  their 
plans  in  the  dressing  room  of  the  Callao  Rowing 
Club,  when  they  were  overheard  by  Harvey  Dart 
moor.  He  was  not  eavesdropping.  Such  was  not 
his  nature.  They  had  not  noticed  his  presence,  and 
finally,  when  he  attracted  their  attention,  they  were 
rather  glad  than  otherwise  that  he  had  heard,  and 
soon  asked  if  he  would  like  to  join  in  the  search. 

Harvey  was  known  in  Callao  as  a  student,  and  the 
young  men  believed  that  he  would  be  of  assistance 
when  knowledge  of  geology  and  chemistry  should  be 
needed.  Besides,  he  was  a  pleasant  companion,  and 
although  their  junior,  he  was  in  many  things  far 
advanced  for  one  of  his  years.  So  it  was  decided 
that  Harvey  should  accompany  them,  provided  his 
father  should  give  consent,  and  in  the  evening  Hope- 
Jones  visited  John  Dartmoor  at  his  home  in  Chu- 
cuito  and  unfolded  to  him  the  strange  sayings  of  the 
Indian,  Huayno. 

Mr.  Dartmoor  was  at  first  reluctant  to  permit  Har- 


22  INCALAND. 

vey's  departure.  There  was  considerable  danger  in 
the  trip  —  from  avalanches,  wild  animals,  and  perhaps 
from  savages,  occasional  bands  of  which  were  known 
at  times  to  approach  the  Maranon  River. 

But  in  Hope-Jones  and  Ferguson  he  recognized 
young  men  of  courage  and  determination  ;  he  knew 
Harvey  to  have  a  similar  nature,  and  beyond  all  that 
he  looked  at  the  possibility  of  finding  this  treasure. 

John  Dartmoor  had  seen  nothing  but  darkness  on 
all  sides,  and  here  was  a  glimmer  of  light.  The 
depreciation  of  paper  money  and  the  stagnation  of 
trade,  because  of  war,  had  checked  all  business.  He 
was  confronted  with  obligations  which  he  could  not 
meet,  and  each  night  he  dreaded  the  dawning  of 
another  day,  lest  it  bring  failure  before  darkness 
could  come  again.  So  at  last  he  gave  his  consent, 
and  Harvey,  delighted,  made  his  preparations  for  the 
journey. 

The  three  decided  to  make  no  secret  of  the  fact 
that  they  were  going  inland  to  seek  gold,  but  to  no 
one  except  John  Dartmoor  did  they  say  aught  con 
cerning  the  Indian's  revelations. 

Having  once  interested  himself  in  the  venture,  Mr. 
Dartmoor  proved  of  valuable  assistance  to  the  trav 
ellers.  Hope- Jones  and  Ferguson  having  shared 
their  information  with  his  son,  he  in  turn  furnished 
outfits  complete  for  all  three,  and  as  his  hardware 
store  was  the  largest  on  the  coast,  he  was  able  to  find 


IN  THE   ANDES.  23 

nearly  everything  in  stock.  But  the  travellers,  after 
frequent  discussions,  left  behind  far  more  than  they 
first  had  planned  to  carry,  for  they  appreciated  the 
fact  that  before  them  lay  mile  after  mile  of  mountain 
climbing. 

When  equipped  for  the  journey,  each  was  clad  in  a 
suit  of  heavy  tweed,  the  trousers  to  the  knee,  gray 
woollen  stockings,  and  walking  shoes.  Each  carried 
a  knapsack,  surmounted  by  two  thin  blankets,  shaped 
in  a  roll,  and  in  each  knapsack  were  the  following 
articles  :  One  light  rubber  coat,  one  pair  of  shoes, 
two  pairs  of  stockings,  one  suit  of  underclothing, 
three  pocket-handkerchiefs,  one  tin  plate,  one  tin 
cup,  knife  and  fork  of  steel,  one  pound  of  salt,  one 
large  box  of  matches,  one  tooth  brush,  one  comb, 
needles,  pins,  and  thread,  one  iron  hammer,  and  one 
box  containing  two  dozen  quinine  pills. 

Ferguson  and  Hope-Jones  each  carried  a  pick, 
slung  by  cords  over  their  shoulders,  but  Harvey  was 
deemed  too  young  to  bear  a  similar  burden  ;  besides, 
two  picks  were  plenty.  Hope- Jones  carried  a  shot 
gun,  Ferguson  a  rifle,  and  Harvey  a  weapon  similar 
to  that  borne  by  the  Englishman,  but  of  less  weight. 
They  all  wore  two  ammunition  belts,  one  around  the 
waist,  the  other  over  the  shoulder.  In  pockets  were 
jack-knives,  pieces  of  twine  and  lead  pencils  and  paper, 
for  they  hoped  to  send  letters  from  the  interior  to 
the  coast  by  making  use  of  native  runners,  although 


24  INCALAND. 

once  away  from  the  railroad  they  could  receive 
none. 

Thus  equipped,  the  departure  was  made  from  Lima 
on  the  morning  of  August  20,  and  the  three  adven 
turers  were  accompanied  as  far  as  Chosica  by  Har 
vey's  brother  Louis  and  by  Carl  Saunders,  their 
chum,  who  stood  on  the  railway  platform  in  the  little 
mountain  town  and  waved  a  God-speed  until  the 
train  pulled  out  of  sight. 

The  Oroya  railroad  is  one  of  the  seven  wonders  of 
Peru,  and  no  work  by  civil  engineers  in  all  the  world 
so  challenges  admiration.  It  rises  from  the  sea  and 
threads  the  gorges  of  the  Rimac,  creeping  on  ledges 
that  have  been  blasted  from  out  the  solid  rock,  cross 
ing  bridges  that  seem  suspended  in  air,  and  boring 
through  tunnels  over  which  rest  giant  mountains. 
In  places  the  cliffs  on  which  rails  are  laid  so  over 
hang  the  river  far  below  that  a  stone  let  fall  from  a 
car  window  will  drop  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
stream.  From  the  coast  to  the  summit  there  is  not 
an  inch  of  down  grade,  and  in  seventy-eight  miles  an 
altitude  of  12,178  feet  is  attained.  Sixty-three  tun 
nels  are  passed  through.  Placed  end  to  end  they 
would  be  21,000  feet  in  length,  so  that  for  four  miles 
of  this  wonderful  journey  one  is  burrowing  in  the 
bowels  of  mountains. 

At  one  point  the  travellers  stood  on  the  car  plat 
form  and  saw  ahead  of  them  the  mouth  of  a  tunnel, 


IN   THE   ANDES.  25 

then,  looking  up  the  face  of  the  precipice  they  saw 
another  black  opening  that  seemed  the  size  of  a  bar 
rel  ;  higher  still  was  a  third,  no  larger  in  appearance 
than  a  silver  dollar  ;  yet  higher,  as  high  as  a  bird 
would  fly,  a  fourth,  resembling  the  eye  of  a  needle. 
Four  tunnels,  one  above  the  other  ! 

They  would  enter  the  first,  wind  around  on 
ledges,  pass  through  the  second,  wind  again,  the 
third,  wind  again,  and  before  entering  the  fourth, 
look  down  from  the  train  platform  along  the  face 
of  the  precipice  and  see  the  entrances  to  the  three 
holes  through  which  they  had  passed.  They  were 
threading  mountains,  and  always  moving  toward  the 
summit. 

In  this  wild  journey  they  passed  over  thirty  bridges 
that  spanned  chasms,  the  most  remarkable  of  them 
all  being  the  iron  bridge  of  Verrugas,  which  crosses 
a  chasm  580  feet  wide  and  rests  on  three  piers,  the 
central  one  being  252  feet  high. 

The  noonday  meal  was  taken  at  Matucana,  in  the 
railway  station  house,  and  a  half  hour  later  they 
were  on  the  way  again,  and  all  three  stood  on  the 
platform  of  the  rear  car,  watching  the  scenery,  which 
every  moment  grew  in  grandeur.  As  the  train 
wound  around  a  ledge,  like  a  huge  iron  snake,  they 
saw  far  beneath  a  little  lake  of  blue,  bordered  by 
willows.  Even  as  they  looked,  clouds  rolled  out  and 
hid  the  water  and  the  willows.  So  they  were  above 


26  INCALAND. 

the  clouds  !  Yet  above  them  were  other  clouds,  of 
fleecy  white,  drifting  and  breaking  against  the  gray 
masses  of  stone  that  rose  ever  and  ever  at  the  sides 
of  them  and  in  front  of  them  ! 

For  a  long  time  they  were  silent,  looking  down 
into  chasms  so  deep  they  could  not  in  places  see  the 
bottom  ;  at  other  points  appeared  a  silver  thread 
which  they  knew  to  be  a  river  ;  or,  they  gazed  up  at 
smooth  cliffs,  towering  as  if  to  shut  out  the  sun,  and 
again  at  huge  overhanging  boulders  that  seemed 
to  need  but  a  touch  to  drop  and  obliterate  train 
and  passengers.  While  thus  watching,  Hope-Jones 
suddenly  exclaimed  :  — 

"  Where  Andes,  giant  of  the  Western  star, 
Looks  from  his  throne  of  clouds  o'er  half  the  world." 

"  Who  wrote  those  lines  ?  "  asked  Harvey. 

"  Campbell,  I  believe.  I  never  appreciated  them 
as  I  do  now,"  he  replied. 

They  were  soon  joined  by  the  conductor,  who  was 
much  interested  in  the  three  adventurers.  The  road 
not  having  been  constructed  its  entire  length,  it  was 
seldom  that  passengers  for  the  interior  were  on  trains, 
and  rarely  indeed  were  met  persons  who  intended  jour 
neying  as  far  as  did  these  three  companions.  Those 
who  rode  up  the  Oroya  railroad  were  mainly  tourists. 
So,  in  those  years,  the  railway  was  operated  at  a  loss  ; 
but  it  was  government  property,  and  the  purpose  was 


IN   THE   ANDES.  27 

in  time  to  connect  the  great  interior  with  the  sea 
board. 

The  conductor  was  an  American  who  had  been 
five  years  in  Peru,  and  he  was  always  glad  to  meet 
any  one  from  the  States ;  so  at  once  he  fell  into  con 
versation  with  Ferguson. 

"  How  often  do  you  go  over  the  road  ?  "  he  was 
asked. 

"  Three  times  a  week." 

"  Do  you  not  tire  of  the  solitude  ?  " 

"  No.  Each  time  I  see  new  grandeur.  Look  over 
there.  What  is  on  that  cliff  ?  " 

The  three  gazed  in  the  direction  he  pointed. 

"  It  seems  to  be  a  little  animal  about  the  size  of  a 
lamb,"  said  Ferguson. 

"It's  an  Andean  bull." 

"  But,  surely,  how  can  that  be  ?  " 

"Because  the  cliff,  which  seems  only  a  few  hun 
dred  feet  away,  is  thousands.  In  this  rarefied  air  all 
distances  and  sizes  are  misleading." 

"  What  did  this  road  cost  ?  "  Harvey  asked. 

"  In  money,  no  one  knows  exactly,  unless  it  be 
the  superintendent  of  public  construction  at  Lima. 
Henry  Meiggs  took  the  contract  in  1868  for 
$27,000,000,  but  the  government  has  added  many 
million  dollars  since  then." 

"  You  say  in  money.  What  other  cost  has  there 
been  ?  " 


28  INC ALAND. 

"  Lives  of  men,  my  son.  The  line  is  not  com 
pleted,  yet  seven  thousand  men  have  perished  dur 
ing  its  construction.  They  say  that  for  every  tie  on 
the  railroad  across  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  a  man 
gave  his  life,  but  even  that  road  has  no  such  death 
list  on  the  dark  side  of  its  ledger  as  has  this." 

"  That  is  more  than  double  the  number  of  the 
killed  on  both  sides  at  the  battle  of  Shiloh  !  "  ex 
claimed  Harvey. 

"  Yes  ;  if  I  remember  my  history  aright,"  assented 
the  conductor. 

"  What  caused  this  frightful  mortality  ?  "  asked 
Hope-Jones. 

"  There  have  been  many  causes,  sir.  Extremes  of 
climate  have  affected  those  with  weak  constitutions 
and  rendered  them  easy  victims  to  disease,  pesti 
lences  have  raged  in  the  camps,  and  there  have  been 
hundreds  of  fatal  accidents,  due  to  blasting  and  to 
the  fall  of  boulders.  I  dare  say  that  if  one  could 
find  a  passage  along  the  Rimac  below,"  and  he 
pointed  to  the  chasm,  "  he  would  see  whitened  bones 
between  every  mile  post." 

That  evening  they  reached  Chicla,  15,645  feet 
above  sea  level,  and  were  entertained  at  the  home  of 
the  railroad  superintendent,  who  had  charge  of  the 
upper  division  of  the  line.  Chicla  is  a  little  town  of 
huts  nestling  in  a  small  valley  and  surrounded  by 
mountain  peaks.  The  nights  are  always  cold,  and 


IN   THE   ANDES.  29 

for  only  a  few  hours  during  the  day  does  the  sun's 
face  escape  from  behind  the  towering  peaks  and 
shine  upon  the  village. 

At  the  supper  table  Harvey  complained  of  a 
drumming  in  his  ears,  and  a  few  minutes  later  he 
hastily  left  the  table  because  of  a  severe  nosebleed. 
Ferguson  felt  something  damp  on  his  cheek  not  long 
after,  and  using  a  handkerchief  he  noticed  that  it 
bore  a  crimson  streak.  Blood  was  flowing  from  his 
right  ear. 

The  superintendent  assured  them  that  there  was 
no  cause  for  alarm,  and  that  every  one  suffered  from 
the  effects  of  rarefied  air  when  coming  into  a  high 
altitude. 

"The  pressure  is  less  on  the  body  up  here,"  he 
explained,  "but  within  your  veins  and  cells  is  air 
rit  the  pressure  received  at  sea  level.  This  over 
pressure  air,  in  endeavoring  to  escape,  forces  the 
blood  with  it.  In  a  few  hours  the  symptoms  will 
have  passed  away.  None  of  you  has  heart  trouble. 
I  trust  ?  " 

"  No,"  they  answered. 

"Then  you  will  soon  be  all  right." 

They  passed  a  restless  night,  but  in  the  morning 
felt  much  better,  and  viewed  from  the  veranda  of 
the  house  the  coming  of  the  day  without  a  rising 
sun  in  sight,  for,  the  superintendent  explained,  it 
would  be  ten  o'clock  before  the  rays  would  shine 


30  INCALAND. 

from  over  the  mountain  peaks  in  the  east.  The 
valley  was  soon  filled  with  a  mellow  light,  and  on 
the  western  hills  rested  a  shadow  that  slowly  crept 
downwards. 

After  breakfast  they  watched  from  the  veranda  a 
train  of  llamas  coming  down  the  mountain  side,  bear 
ing  panniers  filled  with  silver  ore. 

"Those  are  wonderful  beasts,"  said  the  superin 
tendent. 

"  Yes,"  remarked  Hope-Jones  ;  then  he  added : 
"Until  recently,  I  believed  they  belonged  to  the 
same  family  as  the  domestic  sheep  of  Europe  and 
North  America,  but  I  ascertained  by  reading  that 
they  are  more  closely  allied  to  the  camel." 

"  So  I  have  heard,  and  so  examination  would  con 
vince  even  one  not  versed  in  natural  history.  They 
are  much  larger  than  sheep,  are  powerful  and 
more  intelligent ;  besides,  they  can  go  for  a  long 
time  without  water  and  endure  as  heavy  burdens  as 
a  mule." 

"  I  understand  that  their  flesh  is  good  to  eat." 

"  Yes,  it  is  quite  palatable.  So  the  llama  is  valua 
ble  for  three  purposes  —  as  a  beast  of  burden,  for  its 
long,  silken  wool,  and  for  its  flesh." 

An  hour  later  Hope-Jones,  Ferguson,  and  Harvey 
bade  the  superintendent  good-by,  after  thanking 
him  for  his  hospitality,  and  started  on  their  journey 
to  the  northeast.  While  in  Chicla  they  had  secured 


IN  THE  ANDES.  31 

canvas  for  a  shelter-tent.  It  was  unnecessary  to 
carry  poles,  because  these  could  be  cut  each  evening ; 
and  the  additional  burden,  divided  among  the  three, 
was  not  heavy. 

The  first  day's  travel  was  uneventful  until  toward 
sundown,  when  snow  commenced  to  fall,  and  Har 
vey  for  the  first  time  saw  the  crystal  flakes  beneath 
his  feet,  and  swirling  through  the  air.  They  had 
attained  quite  an  altitude  above  Chicla,  how  much 
higher  they  did  not  know,  not  having  brought  instru 
ments.  But  in  the  morning  they  would  commence 
to  descend  again  to  the  region  of  the  Montana,  the 
great  table-land  valley  of  Peru  which  lies  between 
two  parallel  spurs  of  the  Andes  at  an  altitude  of  six 
thousand  to  eight  thousand  feet  —  a  valley  rich  with 
forests  and  with  smaller  vegetation,  a  valley  through 
which  flows  the  river  Maranon,  and  is  inhabited 
by  the  Ayulis  Indians  ;  and  in  this  valley  some 
where  on  the  river  Maranon,  was  a  great  white  rock 
that  marked  a  nature's  storehouse  of  gold. 

They  pitched  their  shelter-tent,  lighted  a  fire,  and 
ate  a  hearty  supper  of  food  they  had  carried  from 
Chicla ;  then,  after  talking  for  an  hour,  they  went  to 
sleep,  lying  close  together,  wrapped  in  both  blankets, 
for  the  night  was  cold. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  MONTANA   OF  PERU. 

EARLY  next  morning  the  three  adventurers  were 
awakened  by  a  mournful  cry.  A  long,  shrill 
note  sounded  near  the  shelter-tent  and  was  followed 
by  three  others,  each  deepening  in  tone.  They  sat 
up  and  rubbed  their  eyes,  then  looked  at  one  an 
other,  as  if  to  ask,  "  What  is  that  ?  " 

Again  the  long,  shrill  note,  and  again  the  three 
mournful  echoes,  each  deeper  than  the  one  preceding. 

"  What  a  ghostly  noise  !  "  said  Hope-Jones. 

"  Oh,  I  know  what  it  is  !  "  exclaimed  Harvey,  ris 
ing,  his  face  brighter.  "  It's  the  alma  perdida." 

"  Alma  perdida  !  That's  the  Spanish  for  4  lost 
soul.'" 

"  Exactly.  That's  why  the  bird  has  such  a  name, 
because  of  its  cry.  It's  an  alma  perdida  —  a  bird, 
that  is  piping  so  dolefully.  Come,  see  if  I  am  not 
correct." 

He  pushed  aside  the  flap  of  the  shelter-tent,  sprang 
without,  and  was  followed  by  the  young  men.  In 
the  light  of  early  day  they  saw  a  little  brown  bird, 


THE   MONTANA   OF   PERU.  33 

a  tuft  of  red  on  its  head,  perched  on  a  scrub  bush, 
not  a  hundred  yards  away.  Even  as  they  looked 
the  shrill  note  was  repeated,  and  then  the  doleful 
ones  of  deeper  sound. 

"  Shoo  !  "  said  Ferguson  ;  and  as  the  bird  remained 
perched  on  the  bush,  he  threw  a  stone.  The  red- 
tufted  body  of  brown  rose  from  the  branch  and  dis 
appeared. 

" 4  Good  riddance  to  bad  rubbish,'  "  said  Ferguson. 
"  We  don't  want  any  such  croakers  at  our  feast ; 
which,  by  the  way,  reminds  me  of  breakfast." 

"  Whew  !  "  exclaimed  Harvey.     "  It's  cold  !  " 

Indeed  it  was  cold  for  these  travellers  from  the 
warm  coast-belt,  the  mercury  standing  at  about 
thirty-five  degrees  Fahrenheit. 

"  Let's  run  and  get  wood  for  a  fire,  then  we'll  feel 
warmer,"  said  Hope-Jones.  "There's  a  dwarf  tree 
over  there.  Surely  some  dry  branches  are  beneath 
it.  Now  for  a  two  hundred  yards'  dash  !  One  ! 
two  !  three  !  " 

Ferguson  won,  Hope-Jones  second,  and  Harvey  a 
close  third.  The  run  started  their  blood  well  in  cir 
culation,  and  they  fell  to  gathering  chips  of  bark 
and  dried  twigs  with  a  will,  returning  to  the  tent 
each  with  an  armful.  They  placed  four  stones 
equidistant  from  a  centre,  so  that  a  few  inches  were 
between  them,  and  in  the  spaces  piled  the  wood. 

"  Be  careful  with  the  matches  !  "  said  Ferguson. 


34  INCALAND. 

"  Only  one  for  a  fire.  Harvey,  take  from  your  box 
first." 

The  boy  stooped  over  and  the  two  young  men 
stood  to  the  windward  of  him,  forming  a  shield.  In 
a  few  seconds  a  crackle  was  heard,  then  a  thin  line 
of  blue  smoke  rose  from  between  the  stones,  and 
tongues  of  flame  licked  the  pieces  of  granite. 

"  More  wood  !  " 

It  was  added,  and  in  a  minute  a  merry  blaze  was 
burning  briskly. 

They  held  their  hands  over  the  flames,  and  they 
stood  on  the  leeward  side,  not  minding  the  smoke 
which  blew  in  their  eyes,  for  the  heat  was  carried  to 
their  bodies,  dispelling  the  chill  that  had  come  after 
the  run.  Although  the  morning  was  somewhat 
warmer  than  had  been  the  evening  before,  it  was 
still  very  cold  for  these  residents  of  the  sandy  coast 
line.  Here  and  there  patches  of  snow  still  lay  on 
the  ground,  but  the  white  crystals  were  fast  melting 
under  the  glow  of  coming  day.  The  sun  was  not 
so  tardy  here  as  at  Chicla,  for  no  high  peaks  were 
in  the  east,  and  even  as  they  stood  around  the  fire 
a  shaft  of  light  was  thrown  across  the  ralley  in 
which  they  had  rested  during  the  night. 

"What  shall  we  have  for  breakfast?"  asked 
Hope-Jones. 

"  Fried  bacon  and  corn  bread,"  promptly  answered 
Ferguson. 


THE   MONTANA    OF   PERU.  35 

"  But  how  shall  we  cook  the  bacon  ? "  asked 
Harvey. 

"  I'll  show  you  ;  "  and  the  Ohioan  unstrapped  his 
knapsack  and  took  therefrom  his  tin  plate,  which  he 
placed  on  the  four  stones. 

"  How's  that  for  a  frying  pan  !  " 

They  had  taken  certain  provisions  from  Chicla, 
because  the  superintendent  said  it  might  be  a  couple 
of  days  before  they  could  reach  that  part  of  the  Mon 
tana  where  game  abounded,  and  the  carrying  of  these 
edibles  had  devolved  upon  Harvey,  his  companions 
having  burdened  themselves  with  the  canvas  of  the 
shelter-tent.  Another  minute,  and  a  fragrant  odor 
came  from  the  dish  that  was  resting  over  the  flame. 

"  I  wish  the  corn  bread  could  be  made  hot,"  said 
Harvey,  as  he  proceeded  with  the  further  opening  of 
his  knapsack. 

"It  will  be  —  in  a  jiffy,"  was  the  reply.  "Just 
clear  away  some  of  the  fire  on  the  other  side." 

This  was  done,  the  sticks  and  embers  being  pushed 
back,  and  Ferguson  commenced  with  his  jack-knife, 
hollowing  out  a  space  in  the  thin  soil.  Taking 
Hope-Jones's  and  Harvey's  tin  plates,  he  placed  the 
bread  between  them,  then  laying  them  in  the  shallow 
excavation,  rims  together,  he  raked  over  some  earth 
and  on  top  of  this  a  layer  of  hot  coals. 

"  By  the  time  the  bacon  is  cooked  our  bread  will 
be  ready,"  he  added. 


36  INCALAND. 

While  this  was  being  done  Hope-Jones  had  visited 
a  little  spring  near  by  and  had  filled  their  cups  with 
sparkling  water.  Ten  minutes  later  they  were 
seated  around  the  fire,  enjoying  the  breakfast,  and  all 
agreed  that  they  had  never  tasted  a  more  appetizing 
meal. 

By  half -past  seven  dishes  were  washed,  the  tent 
taken  down,  knapsacks  and  bundles  packed,  and 
they  started,  with  a  compass  as  a  guide,  toward  the 
northeast,  between  two  mountain  peaks  —  for  in  that 
direction  lay  the  Montana.  It  was  easy  walking, 
llama  trains  having  made  a  pathway,  and  the  country 
soon  became  more  regular,  for  they  had  passed  the 
region  of  gorges,  precipices,  and  chasms  ;  although 
still  among  the  mountains,  the  high  peaks  towered 
behind,  those  in  front  becoming  lower  as  they  pro 
gressed. 

They  were  travelling  a  down  grade,  and  as  they 
pushed  on  there  were  continual  signs  of  change  in 
the  vegetable  world.  At  the  point  where  they  had 
encamped  for  the  night  grew  only  a  few  shrubs  and 
dwarf  trees,  whose  gnarled  branches  told  of  a  rigor 
ous  climate.  But  soon  cacti  thrust  their  ungainly 
shapes  above  ground,  the  trees  became  of  larger  size, 
and  a  long  grass  commenced  to  appear.  And  as 
above  they  had  walked  upon  a  gravel,  which  had 
crumbled  from  the  rocky  mountain  side,  so  further 
down  appeared  a  soil  richer  in  alluvium  as  they  pro- 


THE   MONTANA   OF   PEKU.  37 

ceeded.  By  eleven  o'clock  all  the  towering  moun 
tain  peaks  were  behind  them.  They  were  nearing 
the  table-land  country  and  were  among  the  foothills 
of  the  first  spurs  of  the  eastern  slope. 

"  O  for  a  luncheon  with  potato  salad  !  "  ex 
claimed  Harvey. 

"  Sighing  for  potatoes  in  Peru  is  like  sighing  for 
coals  in  Newcastle,"  said  Hope-Jones. 

"  Why  so  ?  " 

"  Because  Peru  is  the  home  of  the  potato.  It  was 
first  discovered  here.  Didn't  you  know  that  ?  " 

"Yes,  but  I  had  forgotten  it  for  the  moment. 
One  is  so  accustomed  to  terming  them  4  Irish 
potatoes."1 

"  Who  discovered  the  vegetable  in  Peru  ?  "  asked 
Ferguson. 

"The  Spaniards,  in  the  seventeenth  century. 
Large  tracts  of  land  in  the  Montana  country  were 
covered  with  potato  fields,  and  the  Indians  could  not 
recall  when  they  had  not  formed  a  staple  of  diet." 

"  How  did  the  term  Irish  potato  originate  ? " 

"Sir  Walter  Raleigh  is  responsible  for  that,  I 
believe.  The  potato  was  planted  on  his  estate  near 
Cork  and  flourished  better  in  that  soil  than  in  any 
other  of  Europe." 

The  noon  hour  having  arrived  and  the  conversa 
tion  tending  to  increase  their  hunger,  the  three 
adventurers  looked  about  for  a  spring,  and  in  the 


38  INCALAND. 

distance  seeing  a  clump  of  willows  and  verdure  of 
unusual  brightness,  they  hastened  to  the  spot  and 
found  a  little  mountain  stream  rippling  over  pebbles. 
As  they  approached  a  number  of  parakeets  flew 
away,  chattering,  their  brilliant  plumage  causing 
them  to  appear  as  rainbow  darts  above  their  heads. 

"  An  ideal  spot  !  "  said  Hope-Jones. 

"  And  here's  shade.  We  didn't  want  shade  this 
morning,  did  we  ?  " 

"Hardly.     But  the  day  has  grown  warm." 

While  speaking  they  cast  knapsacks  and  burdens 
one  side  and  threw  themselves  down  on  the  grass 
for  a  brief  rest  before  preparing  the  noonday  meal. 
The  murmur  of  the  brook  had  as  an  accompaniment 
the  hum  of  insects  and  the  piping  of  finches  —  for 
they  were  nearing  the  table-land,  which  pulsated 
with  life  ;  far  different  from  the  drear  of  the  early 
morning,  which  was  punctuated  only  by  the  doleful 
notes  of  the  alma  perdida. 

"  I  can  almost  think  myself  in  an  American  har 
vest  field,"  said  Ferguson,  rolling  on  his  back  and 
clasping  his  hands  over  his  head. 

Hope-Jones  placed  a  blade  of  coarse  grass  be 
tween  his  thumbs,  held  parallel,  then  blew  upon 
the  green  strand  with  all  his  might. 

"  What  on  earth  is  that  ?  "  exclaimed  Ferguson, 
jumping  to  his  feet,  and  Harvey  came  running  from 
the  stream. 


THE   MONTANA    OF    PERU.  39 

"You  said  something  about  a  harvest  field,  so  I 
stood  in  the  kitchen  door  and  sounded  the  horn  for 
dinner,"  was  the  laughing  response. 

"  What  shall  it  be  ?  " 

"  The  same  as  this  morning,  with  the  addition  of 
hard-boiled  eggs  ;  that  is,  providing  Harvey  hasn't 
broken  the  eggs." 

"  Indeed,  I  haven't,"  protested  the  boy,  and  he 
commenced  to  unstrap  his  knapsack. 

A  fire  was  soon  started  and  the  eggs  were  placed 
over  the  flame  in  a  large  tin  cup.  After  being  thor 
oughly  boiled,  they  were  put  in  the  stream  to  cool, 
and  bacon  was  fried  as  in  the  morning  ;  but  the 
corn  bread  was  eaten  cold,  "  by  way  of  a  variety," 
so  Ferguson  said. 

"  I  hope  we  may  find  some  game  this  afternoon," 
said  Harvey,  as  he  cracked  an  egg-shell  on  his  heel. 

"  We  undoubtedly  shall,  for  it  cannot  be  far  to 
the  Montana  proper." 

An  hour  later  they  resumed  their  burdens,  and 
with  swinging  steps  continued  on  down  the  hill 
side.  The  grass  became  more  profuse,  and  soon 
formed  a  velvet  carpet  under  the  feet.  It  was  dot 
ted  with  the  chilca  plant,  which  bears  a  bright  yellow 
flower,  of  the  same  color  as  the  North  American 
dandelion ;  and  in  places  could  be  seen  the  mutisia 
acuminata,  with  beautiful  orange  and  red  flowers, 
and  bushes  that  bore  clusters  of  red  berries. 


40  INCALAND. 

"  The  landscape  is  becoming  gorgeous,"  said  Hope- 
Jones. 

Trees  were  now  larger,  and  vines  of  the  semi- 
tropics  clung  to  the  trunks  and  to  the  branches. 
Little  streams  were  of  frequency,  all  running  toward 
the  east  instead  of  to  the  west,  as  had  been  observed 
when  on  the  other  side  of  the  cordillera  ;  and  so, 
late  in  the  afternoon,  the  sun  commenced  to  go 
down  behind  the  hills,  which  seemed  strange  to 
those  who  were  accustomed  to  see  it  sink  in  the 
ocean. 

"Sh!"  exclaimed  Hope- Jones,  suddenly,  then  — 
"  Drop  down,  fellows  !  " 

They  sank  into  the  grass. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  asked  Harvey. 

"  Look  over  there,  in  that  clump  of  trees." 

They  saw  something  moving  under  the  branches, 
then  a  form  stood  still. 

"  It's  a  deer.  I  suppose  it's  the  Peruvian  taruco. 
Can  you  bring  it  down  at  this  distance,  Ferguson? 
If  we  go  nearer,  we  shall  probably  see  our  supper 
bound  away." 

"  I'll  try,  but  it's  a  good  range ;  almost  six  hun 
dred  yards,  don't  you  think?  " 

"All  of  that." 

"Then  I'll  adjust  the  sights  for  seven  hundred." 

He  threw  himself  flat  on  the  grass,  pushed  his  rifle 
before  him,  resting  the  barrel  on  a  stone,  took  aim 


THB  MONTANA   OF   PERU.  41 

for  a  minute,  then  fired.  The  deer  sprang  into  the 
open,  gave  a  second  bound,  rising  from  all  four  hoofs, 
and,  twisting  convulsively,  fell  dead. 

"  Bravo  !  At  the  first  shot !  "  yelled  Hope-Jones, 
and  jumping  up,  he  ran  forward,  closely  followed  by 
the  others. 

"What  shall  we  do  now?"  asked  Harvey. 

"Fortunately  I  hunted  quite  a  little  when  a  lad 
in  the  States,"  said  Ferguson,  whipping  out  a  long 
knife  and  cutting  the  animal's  throat.  "In  a  half 
hour  we  can  skin  it,"  he  added. 

"  Say,  fellows,  I  have  an  idea.  What  better  place 
can  we  camp  than  here?  "  asked  Hope- Jones. 

They  were  near  a  grove  of  tall  trees,  the  bark  of 
which  was  white,  and  in  marked  contrast  with  the 
dense  green  foliage.  These  were  the  palo  de  sangre, 
or  blood-wood  of  the  upper  Maranon,  from  which 
is  taken  timber  of  a  red  color  that  is  fine-grained, 
hard,  and  receives  a  good  polish.  The  trees  were 
not  many  in  number,  but  they  arched  over  a  little 
brook,  and  tall  grass  grew  between  the  trunks. 

"  It's  a  splendid  spot,"  replied  Ferguson,  "  and  I 
have  another  plan  to  add  as  an  amendment  to  yours." 

"What's  that?" 

"To  remain  here  all  to-morrow." 

"  Arid  lose  a  day  ?  " 

"  No  ;  I  think  we  should  gain  thereby.  I  confess 
that  I'm  dead  tired.  The  first  day's  tramp  always 


42  INCALAND. 

tells  the  most.  Besides,  we  had  a  wearisome  trip  on 
the  railroad,  and  for  a  week  before  leaving  Callao 
we  were  continually  on  the  jump.  So  a  day's  rest 
from  tramping  will  do  us  all  good;  but  I  don't  mean 
to  idle  away  the  time,  for  we  can  find  plenty  to  do." 

"  What,  for  instance  ?  " 

"  Cut  up  that  deer  and  smoke  some  strips  of  the 
flesh  to  carry  with  us.  We  may  not  always  be  so 
lucky,  and  smoked  venison  isn't  at  all  bad  when  one's 
hungry." 

The  amendment  was  accepted,  and  they  at  once 
went  into  camp. 

It  lacked  two  hours  of  sundown.  The  air  was 
pleasant  and  warm,  and  the  sweet  odor  from  flowers 
was  carried  to  their  nostrils  by  a  light  breeze. 
Hope-Jones  cleared  a  space  for  the  tent  and  cut 
props  for  the  canvas.  Harvey  fetched  water  from 
the  brook  and  gathered  firewood  ;  and  Ferguson, 
rolling  up  his  sleeves,  commenced  to  skin  the  deer, 
then  cut  a  large  steak  from  the  loin.  In  an  hour 
a  bed  of  live  coals  was  glowing,  and,  using  a  ramrod 
for  a  spit,  the  Ohioan  commenced  to  broil  the  veni 
son.  Soon  savory  odors  rose,  and  Hope-Jones  and 
Harvey  stood  quite  near,  smacking  their  lips. 

"  This  is  the  best  dinner  I  ever  ate  in  my  life," 
said  the  boy  fifteen  minutes  later,  as  he  sat  on  the 
log  of  a  tree,  his  tin  dish  between  his  knees. 

They  crawled  into  the  shelter-tent  early  that  even- 


THE   MONTANA    OF    PERU.  43 

ing,  right  glad  to  rest,  and  the  two  young  men  were 
soon  in  dreamland.  But  Harvey  tossed  about  un 
easily  and  his  eyes  refused  to  close  ;  he  was  too  tired 
to  sleep.  For  a  long  time  he  lay  awake,  listening 
to  the  monotonous  notes  of  the  yucahualpa,  which 
sings  only  at  night,  and  at  last,  the  tent  becoming 
oppressive,  he  took  his  blankets  and  stole  quietly 
without.  It  was  bright  with  starlight,  but  there 
was  no  moon.  A  breeze  from  the  west  moved  the 
broad  leaves  of  the  blood-wood  trees,  and  the  sound 
of  their  rustling  was  like  the  roar  of  breakers  on  a 
distant  beach. 

The  boy  stepped  to  a  fallen  tree,  from  the  trunk 
of  which  branches  protruded,  but  the  leaves  were 
gone.  Wrapping  one  blanket  completely  around 
him,  he  lay  down,  his  head  resting  in  a  fork  several 
inches  above  the  ground  ;  then  he  drew  the  other 
blanket  over  him  and  the  next  minute  was  asleep. 


CHAPTER   III. 

A   SNAKE   AND    A    PUMA. 

WHERE'S  Harvey  ?  " 
Hope-Jones,  aroused  by  Ferguson,  rose  to 
an  upright  position  and  looked  around.     The  flap  of 
the  shelter-tent  had  been  thrown  back,  and  the  gray 
light  of  early  morning  was  stealing  in. 

"  Not  here  ?     Perhaps  he  has  gone  to  the  brook." 

"  Yes ;  probably  for  a  bath.  I  guess  I'll  follow 
him." 

They  lazily  drew  on  their  knickerbockers,  laced 
their  shoes,  and  went  outside,  yawning  as  they 
stepped  on  the  grass,  for  the  sleep  was  still  in  their 
eyes.  The  next  instant  their  attitude  changed  — 
from  heavy  with  drowsiness  every  sense  became 
alert,  every  muscle  contracted  and  their  nerves 
throbbed,  their  cheeks  from  red  turned  ashen  pale. 
For  Ferguson  had  clutched  Hope-Jones's  arm  and 
had  whispered,  "  Look  !  " 

A  hundred  yards  from  where  they  stood  lay  Har 
vey,  sound  asleep,  his  head  resting  in  the  fork  of  a 
fallen  tree  and  his  face  upturned.  Two  feet  above 

44 


A    SNAKE    AND    A    PUMA.  45 

this  upturned  face  —  a  handsome,  manly  face  — 
something  was  waving  to  and  fro  like  a  naked 
branch  throbbed  by  the  wind  ;  only  this  something 
moved  with  a  more  undulating  motion.  It  was  a 
snake.  The  body  was  coiled  around  the  limb  of  the 
tree  that  rose  from  the  fork,  and  the  flat  head  and 
neck  waved  at  right  angles. 

"  Sh  !     It  may  strike  if  alarmed  !  " 

Both  men  sank  to  their  knees. 

"  What's  it  waiting  for  ?  "  whispered  Hope-Jones. 

"I  don't  know." 

"  What  can  we  do  ?     Shall  I  risk  a  shot  ?  " 

"No.  Your  gun  would  scatter  and  perhaps  hit 
Harvey.  We  must  try  the  rifle." 

"You  do  it,  then.     I  never  could  hit  that  target." 

"I'll  try,"  said  Ferguson,  clenching  his  teeth  ; 
and  he  crawled  quickly  into  the  tent,  and,  returning 
with  the  weapon,  threw  himself  flat  on  the  grass  in 
the  position  he  had  taken  the  evening  before  while 
aiming  at  the  deer. 

The  light  had  grown,  so  that  twigs  on  trees  stood 
out  plainly.  They  could  see  that  the  snake  was  of 
a  brown-green,  the  head  very  flat,  and  in  and  out 
between  the  jaws  moved  a  thin  tongue,  vibrating  as 
does  a  tightly  stretched  string  that  has  been  pulled 
with  the  fingers. 

"  Why  don't  you  fire  ? "  whispered  Hope- Jones, 
who  had  thrown  himself  down  beside  Ferguson. 


46  INCALAND. 

"  Wait.     I  can't  hit  that.     No  one  could." 

The  day  was  growing  fast.  Harvey  slept  without 
moving,  and  above  his  face,  no  nearer  and  no  far 
ther  away,  moved  the  flat  head  with  pendulum-like 
regularity. 

All  at  once,  a  ray  of  light  glanced  from  the  rising 
sun  through  the  trees  and  fell  on  the  face  of  the 
sleeping  boy  —  a  line  of  golden  light,  reaching  from 
forehead  to  chin.  Harvey  moved.  That  instant, 
the  flat  head  ceased  swaying,  the  portion  of  the  body 
free  from  the  tree  arched  itself  like  the  neck  of  a 
swan  and  the  snake  was  immovable,  poised  to  strike. 
But  before  the  fangs  could  be  plunged  into  the  vic 
tim,  a  rifle  rang  out,  and  the  snake  fell  forward, 
writhing,  upon  the  neck  and  shoulders  of  the  boy, 
and  he,  at  a  bound,  freed  himself  from  the  blankets 
and  started  for  the  woods  on  a  run,  yelling :  "  I'm 
shot !  I'm  shot  !  " 

Hope-Jones  and  Ferguson  followed  and  caught  up 
with  him  at  the  edge  of  the  brook.  Beads  of  perspi 
ration  were  standing  out  on  his  forehead,  and  his  face 
was  pale. 

"  Where  are  you  hurt,  Harvey  ?  "  asked  Ferguson, 
anxiously. 

He  looked  at  them  in  amazement,  for  as  a  fact  he 
had  just  awakened.  The  yell  and  the  exclamation 
were  only  part  of  a  nightmare,  which  had  been 
caused  by  the  discharge  of  the  firearm. 


A   SNAKE   AND   A   PUMA.  47 

Meanwhile  Hope-Jones  was  feeling  of  him  care 
fully,  his  arms,  his  body,  and  examining  his  head 
and  neck. 

"  He's  as  sound  as  a  dollar,"  he  finally  said. 

"Of  course  I  am,"  Harvey  replied  rather  sheep 
ishly.  "  What's  all  the  row  about,  anyway  ?  " 

"  Come,  we'll  show  you,"  and  the  young  men  led 
him  back  to  the  tree  and  pointed  to  the  dead  snake. 

Harvey  did  not  understand  even  then  what  the 
scene  meant.  He  saw  his  blankets  lying  to  one 
side,  where  he  had  tossed  them,  and  he  saw  the 
reptile  in  the  place  where  he  had  slept.  Then  Hope- 
Jones  related  what  had  happened,  and  the  lad  turned 
pale  again  when  the  Englishman  ended  by  say 
ing  :— - 

"Had  not  Ferguson's  aim  been  true  you  would 
be  a  dead  boy,  because  I  can  recognize  this  snake  as 
of  a  poisonous  species,  although  I  do  not  know  the 
name." 

He  turned  the  broad  head  over,  and  it  was  seen 
that  the  rifle  bullet  had  entered  the  mouth  and 
shattered  the  upper  fang. 

Harvey  was  silent  for  several  minutes  while  Fer 
guson  stooped  over  and  measured  the  reptile,  an 
nouncing  that  it  was  seven  feet  two  inches  long  ; 
then  the  boy  said  :  - 

" 1  can  never,  never  find  words  to  thank  you." 
"Don't   mention   that,  Harvey,"    was   the   reply, 


48  INCALAND. 

"  but  remember  and  keep  with  us  at  night.  We're 
in  a  strange  land  now,  and  there's  no  telling  what 
we  may  meet." 

"  I  suppose  we  have  all  been  careless,"  said  Hope- 
Jones.  "Back  in  the  sierra  there  was  no  animal 
life,  except  the  llama  and  a  few  goats  ;  we  are  in  the 
Montana  now  and  it's  different.  However,  let's 
change  the  subject  and  have  breakfast." 

The  fire  was  lighted,  another  venison  steak  was 
cooked,  and  with  it  they  ate  the  last  of  the  corn 
bread.  After  breakfast  Ferguson  set  to  work  on 
the  deer,  cutting  the  flesh  into  strips,  and  while  he 
was  doing  this  Hope-Jones  and  Harvey,  following 
his  direction,  built  a  little  smoke-house  with  three 
boughs  and  started  a  slow  fire  within.  Later  the 
strips  of  flesh  w^ere  hung  on  pieces  of  twine  that 
had  been  stretched  across  the  top,  and  the  place  was 
closed,  except  for  a  small  opening,  through  which 
the  fire  could  be  replenished  during  the  day.  After 
this  the  three  went  to  the  brook  side  and  washed 
such  clothing  as  was  necessary,  which  was  hung  on 
bushes  to  dry. 

The  noonday  meal  consisted  of  fried  eggs  and  cold 
venison;  then,  after  tending  the  fire  in  the  smoke 
house  once  more,  the  three  lay  down  for  a  siesta. 
The  afternoon  was  quite  warm,  the  drone  of  insects 
could  be  heard,  and  they  had  a  refreshing  sleep  for 
two  hours. 


A    SNAKE    AND    A    PUMA.  49 

But  the  sun  was  not  to  set  without  further  adven 
ture,  which,  like  that  of  the  morning,  brought  in  its 
train  a  lesson  to  the  three  who  were  unaccustomed  to 
the  wilds  of  the  Peruvian  interior.  Harvey,  who 
was  the  first  to  awaken,  believed  that  he  might  find 
some  wild  fruit  in  a  clump  of  trees  which  grew  about 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  the  east,  and  so  he  left  the 
camp  at  three  o'clock  and  soon  crossed  the  open 
space.  He  found  himself  in  a  little  grove,  the  size 
of  that  in  which  the  tent  was  pitched.  But  the 
trees,  which  had  appeared  different  at  a  distance, 
were  the  same,  and,  disappointed,  he  was  about  to 
return,  when  his  attention  was  attracted  by  a  purr 
ing  sound,  like  that  made  by  kittens  when  their  backs 
are  stroked ;  and  looking  down  he  saw,  almost  be 
neath  his  feet,  three  little  animals  that  were  at  play, 
catching  each  other  with  their  paws  by  the  tails  and 
ears,  and  rolling  over  and  over.  They  were  not 
much  taller  than  kittens,  but  were  more  plump,  and 
their  bodies  were  broader.  The  hair  was  a  brown 
ish  yellow,  spotted  with  brown  of  a  deeper  tint,  and 
their  little  tails  were  ringed  with  the  same  color. 

The  boy  watched  them  a  few  minutes,  then  think 
ing  what  a  surprise  he  could  give  Hope-Jones  and 
Ferguson,  he  lifted  one  in  his  arms.  It  was  quite 
heavy  and  gave  forth  a  peculiar  whine  when  taken 
from  its  companions.  Harvey  held  it  close  and 
started  back  to  the  camp,  walking  briskly. 


50  INCALAND. 

He  had  gone  about  a  hundred  yards  when  there 
came  from  behind  him  a  hideous  howl  that  made  his 
heart  jump  into  his  throat  and  his  hair  stand  on  end, 
while  chill  after  chill  passed  down  his  spinal  column. 
Glancing  over  his  shoulder  he  saw  an  animal  bound 
ing  after  him,  mouth  wide  open  and  foam  dropping 
from  yellow  fangs.  It  was  the  size  of  a  lion.  Giv 
ing  a  scream,  the  boy  started  toward  camp  at  a  speed 
he  had  never  equalled.  For  a  few  seconds  he  was  so 
dizzy  from  fright  that  he  seemed  to  be  floating  in 
air.  Every  muscle  was  stretched  to  its  utmost,  and 
he  bent  far  forward,  calling  at  the  top  of  his  voice,  in 
the  hope  that  his  companions  might  hear. 

Another  awful  howl  sounded,  this  time  nearer,  and 
he  could  hear  the  footfalls  of  the  animal  close  be 
hind  ;  the  next  second  he  could  hear  it  panting,  and 
then,  just  as  he  felt  that  the  next  breath  would  be 
his  last,  reason  came  to  him,  and  he  dropped  the  little 
animal  which,  without  thinking,  he  had  held  tight 
in  his  arms. 

The  instant  he  did  so  the  footfalls  ceased  and  the 
panting  grew  less  distinct.  He  cast  a  swift  glance 
over  his  shoulder  and  saw  that  the  animal  had  stopped 
beside  her  cub  and  was  walking  round  and  round 
the  little  yellow  creature  and  licking  it.  The  sight 
gave  him  hope,  and  he  ran  on  toward  the  camp,  ran 
as  he  had  not  even  when  that  terrible  breathing  was 
so  close,  for  then  fear  had  partly  benumbed  him  and 
at  times  he  had  staggered. 


A   SNAKE    AND    A    PUMA.  51 

He  was  halfway  between  the  groves  when  the 
animal's  cry  sounded  again  and  acted  on  him  like  the 
spur  on  a  horse.  He  glanced  back.  The  creature 
had  left  her  cub. 

"Perhaps  she  thinks  I  have  another  one  of  her 
pups,"  was  the  thought  that  flashed  through  Harvey's 
mind,  and  the  inspiration  came  to  dash  his  hat  to  the 
ground,  which  he  did,  and  a  few  seconds  later  he 
looked  back  over  his  shoulder  once  more.  Yes,  the 
animal  had  stopped,  but  only  for  an  instant,  to  sniff 
the  piece  of  woollen,  and  then  had  bounded  forward. 

The  boy  plainly  saw  the  tent  ahead,  but  he  could 
not  make  out  the  figure  of  a  person  near  the 
canvas.  Where  were  Hope-Jones  and  Ferguson  ? 
Could  he  reach  the  grove  ?  But  of  what  use 
to  do  so,  unless  they  were  there  to  aid  him?  His 
heart  beat  wildly  ;  perspiration  flooded  his  face 
and  stood  out  in  cold  beads  ;  he  felt  cold  all  over, 
although  he  was  running  at  a  speed  that  should 
have  given  him  fever  heat,  and  the  day  was  very 
warm. 

At  that  instant  a  man  appeared  near  the  tent,  and 
Harvey  gave  a  yell  such  as  he  had  never  uttered. 
The  man  stood  out  plainly  in  the  afternoon  light, 
and  Harvey  saw  him  turn.  Simultaneously  he 
heard  the  footfalls  of  the  animal  and  the  hoarse 
panting.  The  grove  was  near,  the  tent  was  near, 
the  man  was  near,  and  he  was  immediately  joined 


52  INCALAND. 

by  another.  They  were  waving  to  him.  What 
could  they  mean  ? 

It  was  a  signal,  but  he  did  not  understand.  The 
heavy  breathing  came  nearer  and  nearer.  The  men 
were  running  toward  him,  throwing  their  hands  out 
to  the  left.  All  at  once  he  understood,  and  he 
darted  to  one  side.  The  second  after  he  did  so  the 
crash  of  a  rifle  rang  out,  then  the  deeper  sound  of  a 
shot-gun. 

When  Harvey  looked  up  again  Hope-Jones  was 
pouring  water  on  his  head  and  Ferguson  was  say 
ing  :— 

"  It's  a  puma  and  of  the  largest  size  !  " 

"  Well,  young  man,  have  you  had  enough  adven 
tures  for  one  day?"  asked  the  Englishman,  when  the 
boy  sat  upright. 

"  I  guess  I  have,"  he  replied  in  a  somewhat  dazed 
voice. 

"  You  tackled  quite  a  contract  over  there,"  said 
Ferguson.  "  How  did  it  happen  ?  " 

Harvey  told  them,  stopping  now  and  then  during 
the  narrative,  for  he  was  not  yet  wholly  over  his 
fear,  nor  had  he  quite  recovered  his  breath. 

"  I  guess  you  will  keep  close  to  us  in  the  daytime 
as  well  as  at  night,"  said  Ferguson,  when  he  had 
finished. 

"  Yes,  I  think  I  shall,"  the  lad  said  somewhat  dis 
mally.  "  What  was  it  you  said  chased  me  ?  " 


A   SNAKE    AND    A    PUMA.  53 

"  A  puma  of  the  largest  species.  Do  you  wish  to 
see  it  ?  "  and  Ferguson  led  the  way  a  few  steps  to 
the  right  where  the  carcass  of  the  animal  lay  in  the 
long  grass. 

Its  legs  were  drawn  up  close  to  the  body,  proof 
that  it  had  died  in  a  convulsion,  and  Harvey  shud 
dered  as  he  looked  at  the  long,  sharp  claws  that 
protruded  from  soft,  spongelike  feet.  These  were 
the  feet  he  had  heard  striking  the  ground  in  pur 
suit.  The  puma  somewhat  resembled  a  leopard,  and 
measured  forty-five  inches  from  the  nose  to  the  root 
of  the  tail,  and  the  tail  was  as  long  as  the  body. 
The  head  was  rather  small,  the  ears  large  and 
rounded.  The  skin  was  a  tawny,  yellowish  brown, 
and  the  lower  part  of  the  body  a  dirty  white. 

"  Ugh  !  "  exclaimed  Harvey,  shuddering. 

They  walked  back  to  camp.  After  supper  Fer 
guson  said  :  — 

44 1  move  we  adopt  a  couple  of  rules,  to  apply  for 
the  remainder  of  the  journey." 

"  What  are  they  ?  "  asked  Hope-Jones. 

"  First,  that  we  keep  within  hailing  distance  of 
one  another. 

44  Second,  that  one  of  us  always  has  a  gun  in 
hand." 

44  Agreed,"  said  the  Englishman,  and  Harvey 
nodded  his  head  in  approval. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

IN   THE   COILS    OF   A    BOA. 

the  mountains  to  Oroya,  then  go  north 
to  Huari,  and  in  three  days  you  will  reach 
the  great  forest  of  cinchona  trees,"  repeated  Hope- 
Jones,  quoting  old  Huayno, 

"  Yes,  but  we  have  gone  around  Oroya,  as  advised 
by  the  superintendent,"  said  Ferguson. 

"  That's  why  we  have  kept  a  northeast  instead  of 
a  north  course." 

"  We  should  sight  Huari  to-morrow." 

"Yes.     We  should." 

It  was  the  fifth  day  of  their  journey  from  Chicla, 
and  they  were  plodding  along  in  a  rain,  rubber  coats 
buttoned  close  to  the  chin.  The  llama  path  was 
very  narrow  and  wound  in  and  out  among  tropic 
verdure.  Everything  was  dripping  with  moisture, 
large  drops  rolling  from  palm  leaves,  bushes  throw 
ing  spray  as  they  were  released  after  being  pushed 
one  side  by  the  pedestrians,  and  the  long  grass  wound 

54 


IN   THE   COILS   OF    A   BOA.  55 

around  their  stockings  until  they  became  wringing 
wet.  It  had  been  impossible  to  light  a  fire  at 
noon,  and  so  they  had  dined  on  strips  of  smoked 
venison. 

"  We  must  find  some  dry  wood  to-night  and  hang 
our  clothing  near  a  blaze,"  said  Harvey.  The  next 
minute  he  had  darted  ahead,  then  to  one  side. 

"  Remember  rule  number  one  !  "  called  out  Fergu 
son. 

"  All  right,"  came  back  the  answer. 

They  caught  up  with  the  lad  in  a  minute,  and 
found  him  standing  under  a  clump  of  trees  that 
were  about  fifteen  feet  in  height  and  which  had 
broad,  flat  tops.  As  they  neared  the  spot  a  fra 
grance  as  of  incense  was  borne  to  their  nostrils 
through  the  rain. 

"  Here's  a  feast  after  all  the  dried  deer  meat !  " 
called  the  boy,  who  had  hung  his  knapsack  on  a 
branch,  placed  his  shot-gun  against  the  trunk  of  the 
tree,  and  was  already  climbing. 

"What  is  he  after?"  asked  Hope- Jones. 

"  I'm  sure  I  don't  know.  What  have  you  found, 
Harvey  ?  "  called  Ferguson. 

"Chirimoyas." 

"Then  we're  in  luck.  My  mouth  waters  at  the 
very  thought  of  the  fruit.  But  I  never  saw  the 
tree  before,"  he  said,  looking  up  at  their  young 
companion. 


56  INCALAND. 

"  The  trees  grow  in  plenty  of  places  near  Lima," 
Harvey  replied.  "I  recognized  them  at  once  from 
a  distance.  Here,  catch  !  " 

The  fruit  he  dropped  down  was  heart-shaped, 
green,  and  covered  with  black  knobs  and  scales, 
much  as  is  a  pineapple,  and  was  about  two-thirds  the 
size  of  the  latter. 

When  Harvey  had  detached  a  half  dozen  he  de 
scended,  and  despite  the  inclement  weather  they  sat 
down  for  a  feast,  this  being  the  first  of  fruit  or 
fresh  vegetable  they  had  tasted  since  leaving  Chicla. 

Although  it  was  damp  no  rain  fell  on  the  place 
where  they  rested,  for  the  broad  leaves  of  the  trees 
were  so  interlaced  as  to  form  a  natural  umbrella 
that  made  a  perfect  watershed. 

The  skin  of  the  chirimoya  is  thick  and  tough,  and 
their  jack-knives  were  called  into  use,  but  once 
within  the  shell  a  treat  indeed  was  found.  Inter 
nally  the  fruit  is  snowy  white  and  juicy,  and  em 
bedded  within  the  pulp  are  many  seeds,  but  these 
are  as  easily  removed  as  are  the  seeds  of  a  water 
melon. 

"  My,  this  is  delicious  !  "  said  Harvey,  smacking 
his  lips. 

"  Picking  chirimoyas  from  trees  is  better  sport  than 
picking  up  puma  cubs  from  beneath  them,  is  it  not?" 
asked  Hope-Jones. 

"  Somewhat,"  said  the  lad,  as  he  buried  his  face  in 


IN   THE   COILS   OF   A   BOA.  57 

the  fruit  and  took  so  large  a  mouthful  that  his  cheeks 
were  distended. 

"  Be  careful  lest  you  choke,"  warned  Hope- Jones ; 
then  turning  to  Ferguson  he  asked  :  - 

"  How  would  you  describe  the  flavor  should  you 
wish  to  do  so  to  a  person  at  home  ?  " 

"  I  couldn't.  It  is  finer  than  the  pineapple,  more 
luscious  than  the  best  strawberry,  and  richer  than 
the  peach.  There  is  no  fruit  with  which  I  could 
make  comparison.  Can  you  think  of  any  ?  " 

"No." 

They  enjoyed  the  repast  with  which  nature  had 
provided  them,  then  Ferguson  urged  that  they  take 
up  their  march  again. 

"  What's  the  matter  with  remaining  here  ?  "  Har 
vey  asked. 

"  It's  too  damp.  We  all  would  have  colds  in  the 
morning.  No,  we  must  find  a  dry  spot,  even  if  we 
have  to  keep  going  till  late  at  night.  As  it  is,  per 
haps  we  had  better  each  take  a  couple  of  quinine 
pills.  Here,  I  will  stand  treat,"  and  he  commenced 
to  unstrap  his  knapsack. 

"  Chirimoyas  for  the  first  course  and  quinine  for 
the  second,"  remarked  Harvey.  "Who  wouldn't 
call  that  a  genuine  Peruvian  meal  ?  " 

Then  they  resumed  their  way  in  the  rain,  which 
continued  falling  heavily,  dripping  from  the  trees 
overhead. 


58  INCALAND. 

Since  morning  they  had  been  descending  into  a 
valley  that  was  lower  than  any  part  of  the  Montana 
which  they  had  as  yet  traversed  ;  indeed,  they  were 
at  an  altitude  of  only  five  thousand  feet  above  sea 
level ;  and  as  they  were  on  the  eastern  slope,  where 
there  is  no  trade  wind  to  cool  the  air,  the  temperature 
had  become  tropical. 

Soon  the  path  would  mount  again,  and  a  climb  of 
three  thousand  feet  was  in  front  before  Huari  could 
be  reached ;  but  for  the  time  being  they  were  thread 
ing  a  region  that  was  as  dense  with  vegetation  as 
that  which  borders  the  Amazon.  Huge  vines  and 
creepers  almost  hid  the  trees  from  view,  and  green 
moss  hung  in  long  festoons.  In  places  were  groves 
of  palms,  in  others  trees  of  wondrous  growth  that 
were  completely  covered  with  brilliant  scarlet  flow 
ers.  Occasionally,  between  branches,  they  saw  rare 
orchids. 

In  the  jungle  at  the  sides  of  the  path  could  be 
heard  the  croaking  of  frogs,  and  on  the  bark  of  trees 
sounded  the  sharp  notes  of  woodpeckers.  At  times 
a  brilliant-colored  snake  crawled  across  the  path. 
But  they  saw  little  else  of  animal  life,  although  the 
occasional  rustle  of  leaves  ahead  told  that  something 
savage  had  slunk  away. 

"  Probably  a  puma,"  said  Hope- Jones  once,  when 
they  had  stopped  to  listen,  and  had  brought  their 
guns  into  position.  "  But  there  is  no  cause  for 


IN    THE   COILS    OF    A   BOA.  59 

alarm.  A  puma  rarely  attacks  a  man  unless  brought 
to  bay,  or  unless,"  and  he  cast  a  side  glance  at  Har 
vey,  "  some  enterprising  person  endeavors  to  kidnap 
a  cub." 

"  Will  you  ever  forget  that  ?  "  asked  the  boy,  and 
they  laughed. 

Since  the  day  of  the  lad's  dual  adventures  little  of 
moment  had  befallen  the  travellers.  They  had  re 
mained  in  company,  and  at  night  had  selected  spots 
in  scant  groves,  which  they  had  inspected  thoroughly 
before  pitching  the  shelter- tent.  They  were  cautious 
during  the  day  as  well.  As  for  human  beings,  two 
or  three  Indians  had  been  met,  but  they  were  stupid 
specimens,  who  did  not  speak  Spanish,  and  who  mani 
fested  little  curiosity  at  meeting  a  white  man. 

"  They  are  a  sneaky  lot,"  Ferguson  had  said. 
"Notice  how  low  their  brows  are  and  how  narrow 
the  forehead." 

At  times  they  saw  a  hut  perched  on  a  hill  above 
the  roadway,  but  they  did  not  care  to  investigate,  and 
passed  them  by.  These  places  of  habitation  were 
constructed  somewhat  like  the  North  American 
Indian's  tepee,  of  boughs  wound  with  animal 
hides. 

But  this  all  had  been  at  a  higher  altitude.  In  the 
valley  which  they  now  trod,  and  which  was  a  tropic 
jungle,  there  was  no  sign  of  man  save  the  narrow 
path  —  and  the  path  at  times  was  almost  lost  to  sight 


60  INCALAND. 

in  the  dense  growth — which  told  that  occasionally 
llama  trains  passed  that  way. 

Toward  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  they  reached 
the  lowest  part  of  the  valley,  and  at  that  hour  the 
clouds  cleared  away  and  the  sun  came  out,  causing 
the  leaves  to  glisten  as  if  studded  with  diamonds,  and 
the  air  became  heavy  with  the  perfume  of  flowers 
and  the  exudations  from  plants  and  vines. 

Coaxed  by  the  sun,  hundreds  of  butterflies  drifted 
lazily  from  the  sides  of  the  jungle  and  moved  as  if 
borne  by  light  currents  of  air  from  flower  to  flower. 
Some  were  white,  their  large  wings  dotted  with 
golden  yellow  ;  others  were  purple,  fringed  with 
black  ;  others  the  color  of  the  dandelion,  and  still 
others  were  crimson.  In  and  out,  between  these 
slow-moving  seekers  of  perfume,  darted  humming 
birds  like  dashes  of  many-colored  lightning,  and  the 
torn  air  sounded  a  faint  note  as  they  passed.  This 
sunlight  also  brought  lizards  of  many  hues  into  its 
warmth,  and  chameleons  which  when  prodded 
changed  color,  from  green  to  red  or  to  purple, 
depending  upon  the  stage  of  anger.  Meanwhile 
the  atmosphere  grew  heavier  with  the  tropic  odors 
which  the  warm  rain  had  coaxed  from  the  vege 
tation. 

uMy,  but  I'm  sleepy  !  "  said  Hope-Jones. 

"So  am  I,"  answered  Harvey,  who  was  bending 
over  his  knapsack  and  placing  therein  the  rubber 


Ran  ...  to  the  side  of  his  friend,  whom  he  seized  by  the  collar.' 


IN  THE   COILS   OF    A   BOA.  61 

coat,  of  which  he  stood  no  longer  in  need.  "  Can't 
we  camp  hereabout  ?  " 

"  Miasma  !   chills  !  fever  ! " 

"  What's  that,  Mr.  Ferguson  ?  " 

"I  said  miasma,  chills,  and  fever.  That's  what 
would  befall  us  should  we  remain  here  for  a  night. 
Beyond,"  and  he  pointed  to  the  hill  that  rose  on  the 
other  side  of  the  valley,  "we  shall  doubtless  find  a 
place  for  the  tent.  However,  we  may  as  well  rest 
here  a  bit,  and  I  spy  a  seat  over  there  which  I  propose 
to  occupy." 

Saying  this  he  cast  aside  his  knapsack  and  rifle, 
then  walked  ahead  a  few  yards  and  to  one  side,  where 
he  dropped  upon  what  appeared  to  be  a  mass  of 
twisted  vine,  as  large  as  the  limbs  of  the  average 
tree. 

The  instant  that  Ferguson  sank  into  the  seat, 
Hope-Jones,  who  had  been  looking  ahead  curiously, 
let  fall  everything  that  he  had  in  hand  or  on  his  back, 
and  springing  from  Harvey's  side  with  a  bound,  ran 
as  if  on  a  race-course  to  the  side  of  his  friend,  whom 
he  seized  by  the  collar  and  not  only  lifted  to  an 
upright  position,  but  threw  with  all  the  strength  he 
possessed  to  the  ground,  by  the  path  side,  and  ended 
by  catching  him  by  the  legs  and  dragging  him  some 
distance. 

Ferguson  was  very  quick-tempered,  and  the  mo 
ment  he  jumped  to  his  feet  he  darted  at  his  companion 


62  INCALAND. 

with  his  fist  clenched,  roaring  out  at  the  top  of  his 
voice  :  — • 

"  I'll  fix  you !  What  do  you  mean  ?  That  wasn't 
any  joke." 

Harvey  had  run  up,  and  he  sprang  between  the 
young  men,  wondering  what  had  caused  this ;  and  a 
glance  at  Hope- Jones's  face  surprised  him  the  more, 
for  it  was  pale  as  that  of  a  corpse,  whereas  Ferguson's 
was  red,  and  he  was  blowing  with  indignation. 

"  I'll  teach  you  !  "  he  repeated.  "  Get  out  of  the 
way,  Harvey." 

But  Hope-Jones  had  found  his  voice  by  this  time, 
and  instead  of  resenting  his  friend's  language  he 
gasped :  "  It's  a  boa  !  It's  a  boa  !  " 

"  What's  a  boa  ?  "  and  Ferguson  glanced  around. 

"  You  sat  down  on  a  boa  !  It's  coiled  up  over 
there  !  " 

Then  the  young  man  who  had  been  dragged  along 
the  path  so  ruthlessly  turned  as  pale  as  had  his  com 
panion,  and  so  did  the  lad  who  had  endeavored  to 
act  as  peacemaker.  Meanwhile  the  three  were  re 
treating  rapidly  to  the  point  where  they  had  dropped 
their  knapsacks  and  rifles. 

"  A  boa  !  "  repeated  Ferguson.  "  I  can  hardly 
believe  it  ! " 

"  Yes.  I  once  saw  one  coiled  up  like  that  in  a 
managerie,  and  the  thought  that  your  seat  was  alive 
came  to  me  the  instant  you  sat  down.  As  I  drew 


IN   THE   COILS    OF    A    BOA.  63 

near  I  made  out  the  scales,  which  resemble  the  bark 
on  a  tree,  and  I  also  saw  the  head.  Its  eyes  are 
closed,  and  it's  evidently  in  a  torpor  after  gorging. 
You  sat  right  down  in  the  coils,  and  it's  a  wonder  it 
didn't  wake  and  squeeze  the  life  out  of  you." 

Ferguson  shuddered,  then  throwing  an  arm  around 
his  chum's  shoulder,  he  said  :  — 

"  Forgive  me,  old  man." 

"  Why,  of  course.  I  don't  blame  you  in  the  least. 
I  wouldn't  have  blamed  you  if  you  had  struck  me. 
In  which  case  we  would  have  fought  and  afterward 
would  have  discussed  matters.  I  expected  as  much 
the  moment  I  laid  a  hand  on  you,  but  there  wasn't 
time  for  explanations  at  that  stage  of  the  game." 

"  I  should  say  not." 

They  resumed  their  burdens  and  walked  forward 
again  along  the  footpath,  but  they  kept  at  a  re 
spectful  distance  from  his  majesty  the  snake,  which 
remained  as  when  first  spied  by  Ferguson,  motion 
less. 

"  I  don't  wonder  that  I  was  fooled,"  said  he,  halt 
ing  for  a  look  at  the  enormous  reptile.  "It  looks 
exactly  like  branches  or  a  huge  vine  coiled  ;  now, 
doesn't  it  ?  " 

"  Yes,  it  does,"  assented  Harvey, "but  down  below 
I  can  see  the  head.  What  enormous  jaws  I  " 

"Like  a  shark's." 

"And   they  say  that  the   jaws  will   stretch   still 


64  INC  ALAND. 

wider,  for  they  are  fastened  together  by  ligaments 
that  are  as  elastic  as  rubber." 

"  Yes,  they  will  stretch  so  that  it  can  swallow  a 
young  deer." 

"  Perhaps  that's  what  it's  gorging  on  now." 

"  Perhaps.  You  notice  that  hump  below  the  neck? 
That's  as  far  as  the  prey  has  moved  down  toward  the 
creature's  stomach." 

"  Are  you  going  to  try  a  shot  ?  " 

"No,  Harvey.  Why  should  I?  The  boa  hasn't 
harmed  us,  and  should  I  only  wound  it,  one  of  us 
might  suffer,  for  it's  said  they  move  with  wonderful 
rapidity  for  a  short  distance." 

"  Would  it  not  be  a  good  plan  to  hasten  and  climb 
the  hill  yonder  ? "  suggested  Hope-Jones.  "  It 
won't  be  safe  to  sleep  in  this  valley  to-night,  and 
goodness  only  knows  what  we'll  stumble  over 
next." 

The  others  evidently  thought  so  also,  for  they 
quickened  their  pace,  and  giving  the  boa  a  wide 
berth  they  pushed  ahead.  An  hour  later  they  were 
threading  their  way  by  the  side  of  a  little  stream  up 
the  hillside.  After  walking  some  distance  Harvey 
said  :  — 

"  Mr.  Ferguson  ?  " 

"Yes,  my  lad." 

"Are  you  going  to  quiz  me  any  more  about  that 
puma  cub  ?  " 


IN   THE   COILS   OF   A   BOA.  65 

"  No,  Harvey.  I'll  call  the  account  square,  if  you 
will." 

Hope- Jones  laughed.  "It  looks  very  much  as 
though  I  should  have  plenty  of  amusement  with 
both- 

Ferguson  and  Harvey  stood  stock  still.  Hope- 
Jones  had  vanished  from  sight. 


CHAPTER  V. 

HUARI,    AND   THE   STORY   OF   THE   BEAUTIFUL 
COUNTESS. 


BR1 


What  on  earth  has  happened?"  asked 
Ferguson,  in  amazement,  bending  over  a  large  hole 
that  had  suddenly  yawned  at  their  feet. 

"  B-r-r-r  !     Help  me  out,  fellows  !     I'm  stifling  !  " 

They  threw  themselves  face  down  at  the  edge  of 
the  cavity,  and  reached  their  hands  below,  but  could 
not  feel  anything. 

"  Quick,  Harvey  !  Give  me  the  pick  !  Catch 
that,  old  man !  "  he  called,  pushing  the  iron  arms 
into  the  opening.  A  pressure  was  felt  and  a  hoarse 
voice  replied  :  — 

"  That'll  help.  I  can  crawl  up  the  side  that 
slopes." 

The  next  minute  Hope- Jones  was  with  them  again, 
blowing  dirt  from  his  mouth  and  saying  unpleasant 
things  about  the  animal  that  had  dug  the  hole  at 
the  path  side.  His  ears  were  filled  with  loam,  black 


THE   STORY   OF   THE   BEAUTIFUL   COUNTESS.       67 

earth  had  sifted  back  of  his  shirt  collar,  and  such 
hair  as  projected  beneath  his  cap  was  tangled  with 
the  soil.  As  for  his  clothing,  it  was  streaked.  For 
tunately,  his  shot-gun,  knapsack,  and  pick  remained 
fastened  to  his  back,  and  although  dirty,  he  was 
none  the  loser  because  of  his  drop  below  the  sur 
face.  Ferguson  and  Harvey  brushed  him  off  as  best 
they  could,  then  the  three  resumed  their  way  up  the 
hill. 

"  I  didn't  see  any  hole,"  remarked  the  Englishman, 
a  few  minutes  later. 

"  It  was  at  the  side  of  the  path  ;  most  of  it  in  the 
jungle,  and  leaves  had  fallen  over  the  edge,"  Ferguson 
replied. 

"  Mr.  Hope-Jones  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Harvey.  " 

"  Will  you  cry  quits  on  the  puma  cub  ?  " 

"Certainly,  my  lad." 

"  Hope- Jones  !  " 

"  Yes,  Ferguson,  I  know  what  you  are  about  to 
say.  Boa,  puma  cub,  and  holes  are  barred  subjects 
evermore." 

And   they   shook   hands   in   a   chain. 

The  path  ascended  rapidly  and  the  vegetation 
became  less  tangled  as  the  travellers  proceeded  ;  so 
too  the  atmosphere  grew  somewhat  more  bracing,  for 
the  heavy  odor  of  the  valley  did  not  mount  to  any 
height.  With  the  setting  of  the  sun  the  new  moon 


68  INCALAND. 

shone  for  several  hours  above  the  horizon,  and  the 
silvery  rays  from  the  crescent,  together  with  the  star 
light,  illumined  their  way  so  they  were  able  to  make 
rapid  progress  until  about  ten  o'clock,  when  the 
ground  becoming  quite  dry  — for  the  rain  of  the  val 
ley  had  not  extended  this  f ar  —  they  pitched  the 
shelter-tent  and  built  a  rousing  fire,  near  which  they 
placed  their  damp  clothing.  Toward  midnight  they 
turned  in  "  tired  to  the  bone,"  as  Harvey  expressed 
it,  and  none  awakened  until  the  sun  was  two  hours' 
high.  Then,  looking  down  into  the  valley,  they 
saw  a  billowy  mist,  which  completely  hid  even  the 
tallest  trees. 

"  There's  miasma  for  you  !  "  exclaimed  Ferguson, 
pointing  to  the  vapor.  "  As  we  passed  through  it, 
perhaps  we  should  take  some  more  quinine." 

They  acted  on  the  suggestion,  then,  after  a  hurried 
breakfast,  set  off  on  the  road  again,  for  they  were 
anxious  to  reach  Huari  that  day,  and  the  morning 
start  had  been  late.  The  road  was  up  grade  until 
the  noon  hour,  then  became  level  again,  and  the 
vegetation  was  the  same  as  on  the  other  side  of  the 
valley,  before  they  had  plunged  into  the  riot  of  under 
growth.  Toward  three  o'clock  they  saw  smoke  ris 
ing  lazily  ahead  and  concluded  they  must  be  nearing 
a  town.  A  half  hour  later  they  came  upon  a  number 
of  huts  on  the  outskirts.  Fields  of  maize  and  cotton 
were  under  cultivation,  and  brown  men,  half  naked, 


THE   STORY   OF   THE   BEAUTIFUL   COUNTESS.       69 

were  at  work  in  them  with  primitive  tools  —  ploughs 
that  were  but  sharpened  boughs  of  the  ironwood  tree, 
trimmed  wedge-shaped,  and  drawn  by  small  oxen  : 
shovels  made  from  the  same  wood;  and  other  agricul 
tural  implements  with  which  they  were  strangers, 
fashioned  from  stones  that  had  been  worn  to  sharp 
edges.  All  the  men  wore  beards,  some  quite  long. 

The  huts  became  more  numerous,  and  naked  little 
children,  standing  in  the  doorways  or  running  about 
in  the  narrow  streets,  stared  at  the  travellers,  while 
the  older  boys  and  girls,  who  wore  loin  cloths  or 
skins  of  animals  fastened  as  tunics,  called  in  the 
Indian  tongue  to  persons  who  were  within  the  dwell 
ings.  They  met  few  men  and  fewer  women ;  the 
better  class  of  the  former  wore  trousers  and  a  poncho 
(a  blanket  with  a  hole  cut  in  the  middle,  through 
which  the  head  is  thrust,  and  which  falls  over  the 
shoulders)  ;  whereas  the  poorer  class  were  content 
with  the  upper  dress  that  came  to  the  ankles  :  but 
the  women  wore  gowns  of  gorgeous  color,  though 
they  were  ill-shapen  and  no  attempt  was  made  to  fit 
the  figure. 

The  travellers  neared  the  centre  of  the  town 
before  they  met  a  "  white  man,"  or  one  who  did  not 
belong  to  the  Indian  race.  His  features  were  proof 
that  he  or  his  ancestors  had  come  from  a  foreign 
land,  being  in  marked  contrast  with  the  thick, 
stubby  nose,  narrow  forehead,  and  broad  lips  of  the 


TO  INCALAND. 

Ayulis.  Hope-Jones  doffed  his  cap  and  addressed 
him  in  Spanish. 

The  Peruvian,  who  had  been  staring  at  them  since 
they  had  come  in  sight,  at  once  joined  them,  and  not 
only  shook  hands,  but  placed  his  right  arm  around 
the  shoulders  of  each  in  turn,  patting  him  on  the 
back,  meanwhile  speaking  rapidly,  with  much  sibi- 
lation  of  the  s's  and  rolling  of  the  r's,  conveying  in 
the  most  flowery  language  his  delight  at  their  visit. 

So  they  had  journeyed  all  the  way  from  Lima  ! 
How  tired  they  must  be  !  But  what  matter  ?  He 
had  comfortable  beds  at  his  house  and  they  must  rest 
for  a  week,  or  a  month  if  necessary,  and  be  his  guest 
the  while.  What,  could  only  remain  one  night  ? 
Surely,  they  would  be  courting  illness  by  thus  hur 
rying  along.  No  matter,  he  would  speak  of  that 
later.  They  must  accompany  him  now. 

He  placed  his  hand  in  Hope- Jones's  arm,  and  gath 
ering  his  poncho,  which  was  quite  long,  much  as  a 
woman  would  her  skirts,  he  turned  in  the  direction 
from  which  he  had  come  and  led  the  way,  explaining 
as  they  walked  that  there  were  few  white  men  in 
Huari,  "and,"  he  added,  "some  of  them  you  would 
not  wish  to  meet." 

At  the  word  "  bed  "  Harvey  had  become  very  much 
interested,  so,  for  that  matter,  had  Ferguson  and 
Hope-Jones,  and  they  were  not  at  all  loath  to  accept 
the  invitation  which  had  been  so  insistently  given. 


THE   STOKY   OF   THE   BEAUTIFUL   COUNTESS.      71 

After  travelling  five  minutes  and  entering  what 
was  evidently  the  better  section  of  the  Montana 
town,  they  stopped  before  a  one-story  building,  bor 
dered  by  verandas,  that  was  spread  out  over  much 
ground  and  was  surrounded  by  fruit  trees.  It  was 
the  most  imposing  structure  they  had  yet  seen  in  the 
village,  though,  like  others,  it  was  built  of  adobe, 
reenforced  with  bamboo. 

The  host  and  his  companions  were  met  by  an  Ind 
ian  woman,  who  appeared  to  be  of  better  class  than 
those  the  travellers  had  seen  on  the  streets,  and  she 
was  presented  to  them  as  Sefiora  Cisneros.  Her 
greeting  was  spoken  in  excellent  Spanish,  and  al 
though  not  quite  as  demonstrative  as  her  husband's, 
it  was  none  the  less  sincere.  The  travellers  were  led 
to  two  connecting  rooms,  and  after  discarding  their 
burdens  and  returning  to  the  cool  veranda,  they 
were  asked  if  they  would  not  like  to  drink  some 
cold  coffee. 

"  We  have  learned  the  art  of  coffee-making  from 
the  Brazilians,"  said  Senor  Cisneros,  "and,  believe 
me,  the  beverage  is  better  cold  than  hot.  Would 
you  like  to  observe  our  arrangement  ?  But  perhaps 
you  are  tired  ?  " 

Hope-Jones  confessed  that  he  was  tired,  but  Fer 
guson  and  Harvey  manifested  interest  in  the  Brazil 
ians'  teachings;  so  while  the  Englishman  remained 
on  the  veranda,  chatting  with  the  seiiora,  the  two 


72  INC  ALAND. 

young  Americans  accompanied  the  host  to  the  rear 
of  the  house  and  into  an  arbor  that  was  covered  with 
trailing  vines.  It  was  a  cool  spot,  far  enough  from 
buildings  to  be  affected  by  all  breezes,  and  in  the 
centre  stood  an  immense  earthen  vessel,  the  height 
of  a  man  and  at  least  four  feet  in  circumference.  A 
foot  and  a  half  from  the  bottom  was  a  spigot. 

"  This  jar  is  made  of  porous  clay,"  said  the  senor, 
tapping  the  vessel,  "  and  as  a  slight  amount  of  the 
liquid  niters  through,  evaporation  cools  its  contents. 
Once  every  three  months  we  boil  coffee  by  the  barrel. 
It  is  poured  in  here,  permitted  to  settle  for  a  week, 
and  all  sediment  goes  to  the  bottom.  You  will  notice 
that  I  draw  the  liquid  from  some  distance  above,"  and 
he  placed  a  pitcher  beneath  the  spigot,  turning  which, 
a  dark,  clear  liquid  flowed. 

"  Taste  it  ?  "  and  he  filled  a  small  cup,  then  another. 
"  Is  it  not  cold  ?  "  he  added. 

Ferguson  and  Harvey  found  the  beverage  delicious, 
and  expressed  wonder  that  it  could  be  coffee. 

"  Wait  until  some  sugar  is  added,"  said  the  Peru 
vian,  as  pitcher  in  hand  he  led  the  way  back  to  the 
house. 

For  a  half  hour  they  rested  on  the  veranda,  sipping 
cold  coffee  sweetened  with  brown  sugar,  and  eating 
paltas,  which  Seiiora  Cisneros  had  placed  on  a  little 
table.  They  related  their  adventures  to  host  and 
hostess,  and,  without  revealing  their  reason  for  visit- 


THE   STORY   OF   THE  BEAUTIFUL   COUNTESS.       73 

ing  the  interior,  told  that  they  were  in  search  of 
gold. 

Seiior  Cisneros  shook  his  head.  "  Perhaps  there 
is  gold,"  he  said,  "but  I  have  found  no  trace  of 
any." 

Then  he  told  that  for  years  he  had  been  engaged 
in  silver-mining,  and  that  his  llama  trains  passed  over 
the  road  which  they  had  travelled. 

"  When  the  railroad  pierces  the  interior,"  he  con 
tinued,  "there  will  be  much  profit  made  by  those 
who  extract  metals  from  the  ground,  but  with  the 
present  method  of  transportation  one  does  well  to 
gain  a  livelihood." 

The  seiiora  was  very  anxious  to  hear  about  Lima. 
She  had  been  there  once,  but  only  for  a  few  days, 
soon  after  her  marriage. 

After  a  time  the  host  ordered  hammocks  swung  on 
the  veranda,  and  in  these  Hope-Jones,  Ferguson,  and 
Harvey  rested  until  a  few  minutes  before  dinner.  It 
seemed  good  to  sit  down  in  chairs,  at  a  table,  and  to 
taste  other  food  than  the  game  and  fruits  of  the 
woods,  to  say  nothing  of  having  crockery  dishes  to 
eat  from  instead  of  the  tin  plates.  They  were  early 
in  bed,  and  after  a  refreshing  night's  sleep  between 
sheets,  which,  though  coarse,  were  cool  and  clean, 
they  awoke  with  renewed  determination  to  continue 
their  journey. 

But  while  they  were  enjoying  more  of  the  senor's 


74  IKCALAND. 

delicious  coffee  —  heated  this  time  —  rain  commenced 
to  fall  ;  huge  drops  came  in  sheets  and  leaden  clouds 
hung  low  ;  so  they  were  nothing  loath  to  accept  an 
urgent  invitation  to  remain  another  day  and  night. 
Senora  Cisneros,  learning  of  the  scant  stock  of  cloth 
ing  they  had  taken  with  them,  insisted  upon  over 
hauling  their  knapsacks,  and  she  passed  several  hours 
of  the  morning  with  needle  and  thread,  darning  and 
mending.  In  the  afternoon  she  packed  them  some 
food  from  her  well-stocked  larder,  sufficient  to  last 
and  add  variation  to  their  mountain  bill  of  fare  for 
several  days. 

The  next  morning  dawned  warm  and  bright,  and 
the  adventurers  started  early,  after  thanking  host 
and  hostess  time  and  again  ;  and  they  promised 
themselves  the  pleasure  of  a  longer  visit  on  their 
return.  They  were  passing  from  the  town  and  were 
waving  their  caps  to  Senor  Cisneros,  who  had  accom 
panied  them  to  the  outskirts,  when  Ferguson  said :  — 

"  He's  a  splendid  fellow.  I  wish  he  were  going 
with  us." 

"  So  do  I,"  said  Hope-Jones.  "  He  would  be  a 
jolly  companion." 

Harvey  came  suddenly  to  a  halt. 

"  What's  the  matter,"  the  young  men  asked. 

"  I  happened  to  think  of  something.  Cisneros  is 
a  miner." 

"Yes." 


THE   STORY   OF   THE   BEAUTIFUL   COUNTESS.        75 

"And  he  knows  this  country." 

"  Yes." 

"He's  honest." 

"  He  has  every  appearance  of  being  so.  What  are 
you  driving  at  ?  " 

"  And  he  told  us  that  his  silver  mines  were  not 
paying  very  well,"  persisted  the  boy. 

"  Yes." 

"  If  we  find  gold  we're  going  to  find  a  great  deal, 
are  we  not  ?  " 

"  So  old  Huayno  said.  But  why  are  you  wasting 
time  standing  here  and  asking  all  these  questions  ?  " 

"Because  I  move  we  turn  back." 

"  Turn  back  !     Why  ?  " 

"And  ask  Senor  Cisneros  to  join  us." 

"  Tell  him  the  secret  ?  " 

"  Yes,  and  take  him  in  on  shares.  One  quarter 
for  each." 

Ferguson  slapped  his  hand  on  his  thigh.  "  Bully 
for  you,  Harvey  !  That's  a  splendid  idea.  I  wonder 
it  never  came  to  me." 

"  It  never  entered  my  mind  until  the  last  time  he 
waved  his  hat,"  said  the  boy,  looking  pleased  at  the 
approval  he  had  been  given,  for  Hope- Jones  had 
spoken  as  warmly  in  favor  of  the  project  as  had  the 
American  ;  and  the  three  at  once  commenced  to  re 
trace  their  footsteps.  They  found  their  erstwhile 
host  on  the  veranda  of  his  home,  bidding  adieu  to 


76  INCALAND. 

his  wife,  for  he  had  planned  a  trip  to  a  neighboring 
village. 

"  Take  him  one  side  and  explain,  Ferguson," 
whispered  Hope-Jones. 

"  I  am  delighted  that  you  are  returning,"  he  called 
out  when  they  appeared.  "  Thought  you  would  rest 
a  little  longer  ?  " 

"  No,  seiior  ;  thank  you.  We  wished  to  consult 
with  you  regarding  a  certain  matter.  Will  you 
go  for  a  short  walk  with  me  ? "  asked  the  elder 
American. 

"  With  pleasure,"  and  he  led  the  way  back  of  the 
house,  to  the  arbor,  while  Hope- Jones  and  Harvey 
remained  on  the  veranda  with  the  senora,  who  looked 
at  them  curiously,  wondering  of  course  what  it  meant, 
but  she  politely  refrained  from  asking  questions. 

The  two  were  absent  about  a  half  hour,  and  when 
they  came  in  sight  again  Ferguson  nodded  his  head, 
as  if  to  say,  "He  will  go,"  and  the  seiior  grasped 
each  of  them  by  a  hand. 

"  Pardon  me,  but  I  must  immediately  tell  my  wife 
of  this  extraordinary  news,"  said  he.  "  You  need 
have  no  fear.  My  secrets  are  safe  with  her,"  and 
the  two  passed  into  the  house. 

"  So  he'll  go  ?  " 

"  I  should  say  so.  You  should  have  seen  his  eyes 
glisten.  He  believes  that  every  word  old  Huayno 
uttered  is  true  ;  says  he's  heard  legends  of  this  sort, 


THE   STORY   OF   THE   BEAUTIFUL   COUNTESS.       77 

but  no  one  was  ever  able  to  locate  the  mine.  All 
stories  agree,  however,  that  it  is  beyond  the  cinchona 
trees." 

"  It  was  a  capital  thought,  that  of  Harvey's  !  I 
wonder  how  long  it  will  be  before  he  can  accompany 
us?" 

The  senor  answered  the  question  in  person,  reap 
pearing  just  then  and  saying,  "  I  shall  be  able  to 
leave  in  an  hour,  if  you  wish  to  start  that  soon." 

"  In  an  hour  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  he  replied,  smiling.  "  I  am  accustomed 
to  long  journeys  and  am  always  ready  for  depar 
ture.  The  senora  is  even  now  placing  my  things  in 
order." 

So  it  happened  that  at  nine  o'clock  they  again  de 
parted  from  Huari,  but  this  time  they  were  four  in 
number,  instead  of  three.  When  beyond  the  con 
fines  of  the  village  the  travellers  from  the  coast  were 
surprised  at  being  addressed  by  their  new  friend  in 
the  English  tongue. 

"  I  did  not  know  you  could  speak  our  language," 
exclaimed  Ferguson. 

"  It  has  been  long  since  I  have  used  it,"  was  the 
reply,  "  or  I  should  have  a  better  accent  and  vocabu 
lary.  For  ten  years,  until  I  was  seventeen,  I  lived 
in  New  York  City  ;  but  that  was  thirty-five  years 
ago,  and  since  then  I  have  only  met  Englishmen 
and  Americans  occasionally." 


78  INCALAND. 

"  Why  didn't  you  let  us  know  before  that  you 
could  speak  English  ?  " 

"Because  you  are  excellent  Spanish  scholars;  and 
as  my  wife  has  not  enjoyed  the  same  advantages 
that  I  have,  I  prefer  to  converse  in  the  tongue  with 
which  she  is  familiar.  Now  that  we  are  away  from 
Huari,  however,  and  by  ourselves,  I  should  be  very 
glad  to  use  only  the  English  and  learn  from  you 
that  which  I  have  forgotten." 

They  found  the  senor  a  most  pleasant  companion 
and  also  a  valuable  addition  to  the  party.  On  the 
trip  from  Chicla  to  Huari,  after  the  edibles  which 
were  stored  in  their  knapsacks  had  been  exhausted, 
they  were  compelled  to  live  on  game,  and  the  diet 
became  monotonous.  But  Senor  Cisneros  added  to 
the  daily  bill  of  fare  materially  by  his  knowledge 
of  the  Peruvian  vegetable  world.  He  cut  tender 
shoots  from  a  certain  palm  tree,  which,  when  boiled, 
tasted  something  like  the  northern  cauliflower ; 
from  a  vine  that  grew  in  and  out  the  long  grass, 
he  made  an  excellent  substitute  for  spinach  :  before 
he  joined  them  they  had  feared  to  eat  berries,  not 
knowing  which  were  poisonous  ;  now  they  were 
able  to  enjoy  a  dessert  of  fruit  after  every  meal. 
Their  cooking  utensils  had  also  been  added  to  at 
Huari,  a  pot  among  other  articles,  and  in  this  the 
novel  vegetables  were  cooked. 

In  lieu  of  a  knapsack  the  Peruvian  was  provided 


THE  STORY  OF  THE  BEAUTIFUL  COUNTESS.   79 

with  two  commodious  bags  made  of  llama  skins, 
which  were  fastened  together  by  a  broad  strip  of 
hide  by  which  they  depended  from  his  shoulders . 
He  carried  a  rifle  of  the  muzzle-loading  description, 
an  old-time  powder  horn  and  bullet-pouch.  He 
proved  himself  as  good  a  shot  as  Ferguson,  and  a 
pleasant  rivalry  soon  sprang  up  between  the  two. 

Old  Huayno  had  told  them  to  push  ahead  for 
three  days  from  Huari,  to  the  forest  of  cinchona 
trees,  and  find  the  head  waters  of  the  Maranon,  one 
of  the  rivers  that  are  tributary  to  the  Amazon. 

At  its  source  this  stream  is  very  small,  and  the 
travellers  from  Callao  had  wondered  how  they  might 
recognize  it  from  others,  and  had  regarded  this  stage 
of  the  journey  with  some  apprehension,  lest  they 
might  fail  in  reaching  the  river  on  which  the  great 
white  rock  was  located.  But  Senor  Cisneros  knew 
exactly  the  course  to  take,  and  without  aid  of  com 
pass  he  directed  their  steps. 

"  We  shall  be  longer  than  three  days  on  this 
journey,"  he  said.  "  Your  Indian  friend  reckoned 
the  distance  as  it  was  covered  by  those  of  his  tribe 
who  were  able  to  move  much  more  swiftly  than  we 
can  with  our  numerous  burdens.  We  shall  be  five 
days,  rather  than  three." 

"  Then  from  the  river's  source  to  the  great  white 
rock  it  will  perhaps  be  two  weeks'  journey  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  I  should  think  it  probable." 


80 


INCALAND. 


He  was  correct  concerning  the  distance  from 
Huari  ;  it  was  evening  of  the  fifth  day  when  they 
pitched  the  shelter-tent  on  the  edge  of  a  dense,  dark 
forest. 

"  My,  but  there's  sufficient  quinine  in  there  to  cure 
a  world  of  giants  !  "  exclaimed  Harvey. 

"  Those  are  not  cinchona  trees,  my  son,"  said  the 
Peruvian. 

"  No  ?  But  I  thought  this  was  the  forest  of  cin 
chona  trees." 

"  So  it  is  ;  for  the  reason  that  the  valuable  growth 
appears  frequently  in  these  woods.  We  will  doubt 
less  see  many  specimens  during  our  journey,  but 
none  is  in  sight  from  here." 

"  What  does  the  tree  look  like,  senor  ?  " 

"  It  resembles  the  beech,  with  the  flowing  branches 
of  the  lilac,  and  has  smooth  wood,  susceptible  of  a 
high  polish.  The  leaves  resemble  those  of  the 
coffee  plant." 

"Are  you  versed  in  the  method  of  preparing 
quinine  from  the  bark,  senor  ?  " 

"  It  happens  that  I  have  made  the  subject  quite  a 
study,"  he  replied.  "Several  years  ago  a  repre 
sentative  of.  the  British  government  was  my  guest 
in  Huari.  He  had  been  sent  to  Peru  for  the  pur 
pose  of  deciding  whether  it  would  be  possible  to 
transplant  young  cinchona  trees  from  these  forests 
to  India  and  other  tropical  countries.  With  him  I 
made  several  expeditions." 


THE   STORY    OF    THE   BEAUTIFUL    COUNTESS.        81 

"  What  was  the  result,  seiior  ?  " 

44  He  recommended  that  transplanting  be  at 
tempted.  It  was  done,  and  I  understand  that  cin 
chona  groves  are  thriving  in  many  places." 

44  Is  that  possible  ! "  said  Ferguson.  "  I  was  of 
the  opinion  that  Peruvian  bark  only  grew  in  Peru. 
But  as  I  think  of  it,  I  really  am  very  ignorant  on 
the  subject.  Perhaps  you  will  tell  us  more  con 
cerning  the  enemy  of  chills  and  fever." 

"  I  will  be  glad  to,  but  suppose  we  have  supper 
first." 

To  this  all  agreed.  They  had  made  the  tent  ready 
for  the  night  while  thus  conversing,  and  had  gathered 
fuel  for  the  evening  fire,  so  that  soon  the  pot  was 
surrounded  by  a  bright  blaze. 

"  The  water  in  which  our  food  is  cooking  should 
have  a  peculiar  charm  for  us  all,"  said  the  seiior. 

44  Why  so  ?  "  asked  Hope-Jones. 

44  Because  it  comes  from  the  Maranon,  which  flows 
past  the  white  rock  and  the  gold  mine." 

44  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  the  little  stream  from 
which  I  fetched  water  is  the  Maranon,  seiior  ? " 
Harvey  asked. 

44  Yes,  or  one  of  the  small  branches  that  form  the 
head.  A  day's  journey  from  here  it  broadens  con 
siderably.  How  it  is  beyond  I  do  not  know,  for  I 
have  never  gone  further." 

After  supper,  when  they  had  drawn  up  logs  for 


82  INCALAND. 

seats  near  the  fire,  because  the  night  was  chill  and  a 
damp  breeze  came  from  out  the  forest,  Senor  Cis- 
neros  commenced  his  promised  narrative  of  the  white 
powder  that  occupies  such  a  prominent  place  in  the 
medical  world. 

"  Once  upon  a  time,  in  fact  in  the  year  1638,  there 
lived  in  Cuzco  a  most  beautiful  woman  who  was 
loved  by  all  who  knew  her." 

"Why,  you  are  starting  out  as  if  telling  a  fairy 
story  !  "  said  Harvey,  laughing. 

"  The  facts  are  something  like  one  of  those  charm 
ing  tales,"  replied  the  senor,  who  resumed  :  — 

"  This  woman,  renowned  for  her  beauty  and  her 
grace  of  manner,  was  the  wife  of  the  ruler  of  Peru. 
One  day  she  became  grievously  ill,  and  the  doctors 
of  that  time  were  unable  to  remed)^  her  condition. 
Her  flesh  burned  with  great  heat,  her  cheeks  were 
flushed  with  red,  her  eyes  were  unusually  bright,  and 
the  blood  pulsed  rapidly  through  her  veins.  She 
soon  became  delirious,  failed  to  recognize  her  hus 
band  and  children,  and  all  those  in  the  palace  were 
in  despair. 

"  At  that  time  a  most  learned  man  was  the  corre- 
gidor,  or  chief  magistrate,  of  Loxa.  He  was  not 
only  versed  in  the  study  of  the  law,  but  he  had  fa 
miliarized  himself  more  than  any  other  man  with  the 
vegetable  life  of  Peru  ;  he  was  a  botanist,  self-taught. 
This  man  learned  that  the  countess  was  at  death's 


THE   STORY    OF   THE   BEAUTIFUL   COUNTESS.        83 

door  ;  and  hastening  to  the  palace  he  asked  permis 
sion  to  see  her.  It  was  granted,  and  after  looking 
for  a  few  minutes  upon  the  woman,  who  was  tossing 
about  on  the  silken  couch,  he  abruptly  left  the  apart 
ment,  saying  that  he  would  soon  return. 

"  Within  the  half  hour  he  was  back,  carrying  a 
shallow  dish,  in  which  were  pieces  of  bark  steeped 
in  water.  He  gave  the  countess  some  of  the  liquid 
to  drink  and  urged  that  the  close  be  repeated  at 
intervals  during  two  days.  His  instructions  were 
followed  ;  she  became  restful,  slept  sweetly,  and  the 
fever  left  her  body.  In  a  week  she  was  up  and 
about,  and  in  a  fortnight  was  out  in  the  palace 
grounds." 

"  And  that  story  is  true  ?  "  asked  Harvey. 

"  Yes,  true  in  every  detail.  It  is  vouched  for  in 
the  public  records  of  Peru." 

"Of  course  the  drug  he  gave  her  was  the  essence 
of  Peruvian  bark." 

"  Yes,  extracted  in  a  primitive  form." 

"  What  was  her  name  ?  "  asked  Hope- Jones. 

"The  Countess  of  Chinchon." 

"  That  is  why  the  tree  is  called  cinchona  ?  " 

"  It  is,  and  to  be  more  correct  one  should  spell  it 
4  chinchona '  instead  of  '  cinchona.'  " 

"  How  did  the  term  quinine  originate  ?  " 

"  From  the  Indian  compound  word  '  Quina-Quina,' 
meaning  'bark  of  barks.'  " 


84  INCALAND. 

"  You  say  the  trees  are  isolated,  senor  ?  " 
"Yes.  They  seldom  grow  in  clumps,  and  the 
task  of  finding  them  is  often  great ;  the  native 
searchers,  or  cascarilleros,  undergo  great  hardships 
in  penetrating  the  jungle-like  forests." 
"  How  is  the  white  powder  prepared  ?  " 
"  There  are  several  processes,  the  most  popular,  I 
believe,  being  that  of  mixing  pulverized  bark  thor 
oughly  with  milk  of  lime,  then  treating  the  sub 
stance  to  the  action  of  certain  chemicals,  and 
ultimately  the  sulphate  of  quinine  is  produced. 
Different  manufacturers  have  different  processes ; 
many  of  them  are  kept  a  secret.  The  object  is  to 
extract  the  maximum  amount  of  quinine  from  the 
bark  and  leave  as  little  of  other  ingredients  in  the 
powder  as  possible." 

From  the  subject  of  Peruvian  bark  they  changed 
to  that  of  the  journey  on  the  morrow,  and  a  half 
hour  later,  with  knapsacks  and  bags  as  pillows,  they 
went  to  sleep  in  the  shelter-tent.  Harvey,  as  he 
closed  his  eyes,  thought  of  the  beautiful  Countess  of 
Chinchon,  and  wondered  if  she  could  have  been  as 
pretty  as  Senorita  Bella  Caceras,  a  girl  in  Callao 
whom  he  had  met  under  most  peculiar  circumstances 
while  adrift  one  night  in  the  bay  of  that  name. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

A   DISCOVERY    AND   AN   ALARM. 

THEY  entered  the  forest  the  next  day,  and  for 
a  week  were  in  its  confines,  threading  the 
right  bank  of  the  Maranon  and  following  its  current. 

The  way  along  the  river  was  easy  to  travel,  when 
compared  with  the  seemingly  impassable  jungle  to 
the  right  and  the  left  of  the  stream,  but  it  was  not 
without  its  difficulties,  and  many  times  they  were 
compelled  to  stop  and  cut  the  heavy  growth  of  vines 
with  the  small  axe  which  Senor  Cisneros  had  added 
to  the  outfit.  At  night  they  were  bothered  by  mos 
quitoes,  and  the  insect  plague  became  so  great  one 
evening  that  they  kept  watch  and  watch,  the  one  on 
duty  throwing  on  the  embers  of  the  fire  a  bark 
which  emitted  a  light  yellow  smoke  which  drove  the 
pests  away. 

Game  was  plentiful  in  this  forest,  and  what  with 
the  flesh  of  four-footed  animals  and  birds,  reenforced 
at  times  by  fish  caught  in  the  stream  and  the  vege 
tables  harvested  by  the  Peruvian,  they  managed  to 

86 


86  INCALAND. 

fare  very  well.  But  in  other  respects  they  were  not 
treated  so  kindly.  Thorns  tore  their  trousers  and 
their  coats,  their  shoes  were  wearing  out,  and  facvs 
and  hands  became  covered  with  scratches  and  bruises, 
the  latter  caused  by  many  falls,  which  it  was  impos 
sible  to  avoid  because  of  the  insecure  footing. 

In  spite  of  this  they  were  in  the  best  of  health  ; 
and  as  for  their  clothing,  they  made  good  use  each 
night  of  the  needles  and  thread  which  they  had 
brought ;  and  although  some  of  the  darns  and  patches 
were  curiosities  to  look  upon,  they  served  their  pur 
pose.  Hope-Jones  and  Ferguson  had  both  been 
smooth-shaven  while  in  the  city,  but  by  the  time  they 
were  a  week  from  Huari,  mustaches  covered  their 
upper  lips  and  light  growths  of  beard  were  depend 
ent  from  their  chins. 

"  Nobody  in  Callao  would  know  you,"  said  Harvey, 
one  morning.  "  I  never  saw  such  a  change  in  per 
sons." 

"  How  about  yourself  ?  "  retorted  Ferguson.  "  If 
you  could  but  glance  at  your  own  face  in  a  mirror 
you  would  not  say  much." 

Somewhat  later  in  the  day  the  boy  made  use  of  a 
deep  pool  of  water  for  that  purpose,  and  was  surprised 
to  see,  peering  up  at  him,  features  that  were  copper- 
colored  from  sunburn  and  exposure  to  the  elements. 
The  outdoor  life  at  home  had  tanned  him  somewhat, 
but  nothing  in  comparison  with  this. 


A   DISCOVERY    AND   AN    ALARM.  87 

The  weather,  while  they  were  in  the  forest,  was 
dry  and  pleasant,  but  the  very  day  they  emerged 
from  its  confines,  a  rain  poured  down  that  was  even 
heavier  than  that  which  had  detained  them  twenty- 
four  hours  at  Huari.  It  commenced  to  fall  as  they 
were  awakening,  and  descended  in  such  torrents 
that  any  thought  of  trying  to  pursue  their  way  while 
it  lasted  had  to  be  abandoned.  Their  shelter-tent 
was  fortunately  pitched  on  a  slight  elevation,  be 
neath  the  branches  of  a  large  iron-wood  tree  which 
broke  the  force  of  the  drops,  or  rather  of  the  rain- 
sheets. 

Senor  Cisneros  and  Hope-Jones  put  on  rubber 
coats  and  dug  a  shallow  trench  around  the  canvas, 
making  a  channel  toward  the  river,  and  for  the  re 
mainder  of  the  day  they  sat  in  the  little  enclosure, 
except  for  a  few  minutes  when  one  or  the  other  ven 
tured  forth  for  a  "  breath  of  fresh  air."  All  wood  in 
the  vicinity  was  too  wet  for  use  as  fuel ;  indeed, 
there  was  no  spot  where  they  could  build  a  fire,  had 
they  had  dry  timber  ;  so  they  were  compelled  to  sub 
sist  upon  smoked  meat. 

"  This  is  Monday,  is  it  not  ?  "  Harvey  asked. 

"  Yes,  and  a  decidedly  blue  Monday,"  was  the 
reply. 

Toward  evening  they  voted  it  the  most  miserable 
day  of  the  journey,  and  their  only  comfort  came 
from  the  Peruvian,  who  assured  them  that  the  heavy 


88  INCALAND. 

rains  in  that  season  seldom  lasted  for  more  than  one 
day. 

The  rule  held  in  this  instance,  and  soon  after  dark 
the  clouds  were  driven  away,  the  moon  silvered  the 
dripping  trees  and  bushes,  and  the  travellers  were 
able  to  emerge  from  under  the  canvas.  By  digging 
beneath  some  leaves,  they  found  dried,  decayed  wood, 
that  served  admirably  for  fuel,  and  soon  had  a  roar 
ing  blaze  started,  over  which  they  cooked  some  fish 
that  Harvey  had  caught  during  the  afternoon. 

After  leaving  the  dense  forest  behind,  they  fol 
lowed  the  Maranon  through  a  much  more  open 
country.  There  were  many  trees,  but  they  were 
not  so  close  together,  nor  were  they  so  tangled 
with  vines,  and  the  undergrowth  also  became 
thinner.  This  was  due  to  a  change  in  the  soil, 
they  having  passed  from  the  region  of  black  earth 
to  a  land  that  contained  more  sand.  It  became 
quite  rocky  close  to  the  river,  and  they  were  com 
pelled  to  make  frequent  detours  from  the  bank 
because  of  the  boulders  through  which  the  stream 
passed. 

One  morning  all  became  very  much  interested  in 
witnessing  a  body  of  foraging  ants,  to  which  their 
attention  was  called  by  Sefior  Cisneros. 

"  These  little  creatures  can  be  seen  only  in  South 
and  Central  America,"  he  said,  "  and  they  have  the 
reputation  of  being  the  wisest  of  all  antdom.  Look 


A  DISCOVERY   AND   AN   ALARM.  89 

how  they  are  marching  in  regular  phalanxes,  with 
officers  in  command  !  " 

The  diminutive  black  and  gray  army  covered  a 
space  about  three  yards  square,  and  was  moving 
from  the  river  across  the  path. 

"  I  will  interrupt  their  progress,"  said  the  Peru 
vian,  "and  we  shall  have  plenty  of  opportunity  to 
observe  them.  Fetch  me  that  pot  full  of  water, 
Harvey." 

While  the  lad  was  hastening  to  the  river,  he  dug 
with  one  of  the  picks  until  he  had  made  a  narrow 
channel  about  ten  feet  long,  into  which  he  poured 
the  water  as  soon  as  it  was  brought  him,  and  just 
as  the  vanguard  of  the  ant  army  approached.  The 
little  soldiers  halted  on  the  edge  of  this  ditch,  and 
from  the  sides  and  rear  hurried  ants  that  evidently 
were  officers. 

"  Now  I  shall  give  them  a  small  bridge,"  the  sefior 
said,  "and  if  they  have  the  intelligence  of  a  body 
that  I  observed  about  a  month  ago,  they  will  quickly 
make  the  footway  broader  and  in  a  novel  manner." 

Saying  which,  he  cut  a  rather  long  twig,  one  that 
was  narrow,  but  would  reach  across  the  little  trench, 
and  this  he  placed  in  position. 

Two  of  the  ants  hurried  on  the  little  span,  then 
returned  to  the  army.  They  evidently  gave  some 
instructions,  for  two  or  three  score  of  the  main  body 
left  the  ranks,  and  hurrying  on  to  the  twig,  swung 


90  INCALAND. 

themselves  from  the  sides  in  perfect  line,  until  the 
passageway  had  been  made  three  times  as  broad 
as  before.  Then,  at  an  order,  the  army  commenced 
moving  over. 

"  Isn't  that  wonderful !  "  exclaimed  Hope- Jones- 

"Indeed,  yes.  Many  students  of  the  ant  rank 
him  in  intelligence  next  to  man.  You  will  observe 
that  the  little  fellows  who  are  offering  their  bodies 
as  planks  for  the  bridge  are  of  a  different  color, 
and  evidently  different  species  from  the  marchers, 
and  that  others  of  both  kinds  constitute  the  main 
body." 

"Yes,  that  is  so." 

"The  little  fellows  are  slaves." 

"  Slaves?  "  echoed  all  three. 

"  Yes,  slaves  captured  in  battle,  and  made  to  do 
the  masters'  bidding." 

"Do  they  always  obey?" 

"  I  have  watched  them  many  times  and  have  never 
seen  any  sign  of  rebellion.  Frequently  the  superior 
ant,  or  the  one  who  owns  the  slaves,  will  remain 
perfectly  still  and  direct  the  little  servants.  In  thai 
way  I  saw  a  score  of  the  slaves  tug  away  at  a  dead 
bee,  one  day,  and  it  was  perfectly  plain  that  a  larger 
ant  that  stood  near  by  was  giving  orders." 

"  You  say  they  are  called  foraging  ants?  " 

"  Yes.  They  roam  about  in  bands  like  this  in 
search  of  food.  They  are  carnivorous  and  eat  such 


A  DISCOVERY   AND   AN   ALARM.  91 

insects  as  are  unfortunate  enough  to  be  in  their 
path." 

The  army  was  fully  fifteen  minutes  crossing  the 
living  bridge,  and  when  the  last  company  had  passed, 
the  slave  ants  detached  themselves  and  followed. 
But  two  or  three,  evidently  exhausted  by  the  strain, 
fell  from  the  twig  into  the  river.  No  attention  was 
given  them  ;  they  were  left  to  drown. 

"  Did  you  notice  that  ?  "  said  the  senor.  "  Now 
watch  how  differently  members  of  the  superior  class 
of  ants  are  treated  when  in  distress." 

He  stepped  ahead  a  few  feet  and  drawing  some  of 
the  larger  species  from  the  main  body  with  a  stick, 
he  covered  them  partly  with  gravel,  until  only  a  leg 
or  two  were  visible.  At  once  several  ants  of  the 
same  species  stopped  their  march,  and  summoning  a 
small  body  of  slave  ants,  went  to  the  rescue.  By 
butting  with  their  heads  and  tugging  away  at  the 
small  stones  the  slaves  soon  rescued  the  imprisoned 
masters,  and  all  rejoined  the  army,  bringing  up  the 
rear. 

"  Bravo  !  "  shouted  Harvey,  as  if  the  little  fellows 
could  understand. 

That  afternoon  the  travellers  fell  to  conversing  of 
the  old  mine  which  they  expected  to  find.  Not  that 
it  was  an  unusual  subject  for  conversation,  for  it 
was  the  topic  most  frequently  broached  ;  but  the 
talk  this  day  was  of  special  interest,  because  Senor 


92  INCALAND. 

Cisneros  told  them  minutely  of  the  mining  laws  of 
Peru.  Hope-Jones  had  expressed  worry  lest  for 
eigners  would  not  be  permitted  to  enjoy  the  results 
of  discovery,  but  his  fears  were  set  at  rest  by  the 
Peruvian,  who  said  :  — 

"  Our  mining  laws  have  been  greatly  misunder 
stood  in  other  countries,  and  exaggerated  reports 
concerning  them  have  been  sent  broadcast.  The 
foreigner's  right  to  own  what  he  finds,  providing  no 
one  else  has  a  prior  claim,  has  never  been  disputed. 
Recently  it  was  made  the  subject  of  special  legisla 
tion.  During  the  last  session  Congress  passed  a 
law  which,  among  other  provisions,  states  that 
'Strangers  can  acquire  and  work  mines  in  all  the 
territory  of  the  Republic,  enjoying  all  the  rights 
and  remaining  subject  to  all  the  obligations  of  the 
natives  respecting  the  property  and  the  workings  of 
the  mines  ;  but  they  cannot  exercise  judicial  func 
tions  in  the  government  of  the  mines.' ' 

"  What  does  that  last  clause  mean,  senor  ?  "  asked 
Hope-Jones. 

"  It  has  been  interpreted  to  mean  that  the  for 
eigner  cannot  hold  the  position  of  mine  superin 
tendent,  the  object  plainly  being  to  prevent  his 
having  active  control  of  the  natives  who,  of  course, 
would  be  called  in  to  do  the  manual  labor." 

"  It  is  fortunate  then  that  we  have  taken  you  with 
us,"  said  Ferguson.  "You  will  be  able  to  act  as 


A   DISCOVERY   AND    AN   ALARM.  93 

superintendent,  and  we  shall  not  have  to  employ  an 
outsider." 

"  I  should  like  nothing  better  ;  that  is,  providing 
we  find  the  mine.  But  are  we  not,  as  you  say  in 
the  States,  counting  our  chickens  before  they  are 
born  ?  " 

"  Before  they  are  hatched,"  corrected  Harvey,  but 
not  in  a  manner  which  the  seiior  could  possibly  take 
exception  to  —  for  that  matter,  he  had  asked  them 
many  times  to  speak  of  his  mistakes  during  the  trip. 
"  Oh,  it's  fun  to  do  that,"  continued  the  lad.  "  So 
I  move  that  we  have  an  election  of  officers,  and  I 
place  Mr.  Hope- Jones  in  nomination  for  president." 

" 1  vote  ay,"  said  Ferguson. 

"  And  I  also,"  said  the  Peruvian. 

uOf  course  7  do,"  Harvey  said.  "And  I  nomi 
nate  Mr.  Ferguson  for  treasurer." 

The  others  agreed  as  before. 

"  Let  me  propose  Harvey  Dartmoor  for  secretary," 
said  the  senor,  entering  into  the  spirit  of  the 
moment. 

The  choice  was  unanimous. 

"  And  now,"  Hope-Jones  said,  "  we  will  name 
Senor  Anton  Cisneros  vice-president  and  general 
superintendent  of  all  our  properties." 

"  Thank  you,  gentlemen,"  said  the  Peruvian,  doff 
ing  his  hat.  "  I  only  hope  the  stockholders  of  the 
corporation  will  be  of  your  mind." 


INCALAND. 


"  The  stockholders  !  How  can  they  change  our 
election  ?  " 

"  You  will  have  to  sell  stock  in  order  to  work  the 
property,  and  those  who  buy  shares  will  have  a  right 
to  vote." 

"  Certainly.  But  cannot  we  hold  the  majority  of 
shares  ?  " 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  that.  If  we  find  any 
thing  nearly  as  valuable  as  the  old  Indian  claimed, 
it  would  be  a  pity  to  let  the  property  pass  out  of 
our  control." 

"Tell  us  something  more  of  the  mining  laws, 
won't  you  ?  "  asked  Ferguson.  "  In  speaking  of  the 
recent  enactment,  you  stated  that  'strangers  should 
be  subject  to  all  the  obligations  of  natives.'  What 
does  that  mean  ?  Is  the  taxation  heavy  ?  " 

"  On  the  contrary,  it  is  very  light,  just  sufficient 
to  meet  the  expenses  of  the  government  mining- 
bureau.  The  tax  is  fifteen  dollars  a  year  for  every 
mine,  —  gold,  silver,  nitrate  of  soda,  salt,  petroleum, 
—no  matter  what  it  may  be." 

"And  how  would  we  'prove  a  claim,'  as  they 
say  in  the  States  ?  " 

"  Did  you  inquire  in  Lima  whether  any  mines  had 
been  reserved  in  the  locality  where  we  intend 
prospecting  ?  " 

"  No,  seiior,  for  we  did  not  wish  to  attract  atten 
tion  to  that  section  of  the  state." 


A   DISCOVERY   AND   AN   ALARM.  95 

"  You  were  doubtless  right.  It  was  perhaps  un 
necessary.  In  all  probability  no  one  has  sought 
treasure  in  that  region.  Still,  that  point  must  first 
be  definitely  settled.  The  government  issues  a 
quarterly  statement,  called  the  'padron,'  in  which 
are  given  the  boundaries  of  all  new  claims.  These 
padrons  are  indexed,  and  it  is  possible  to  learn  the 
location  of  all  mines  in  a  given  region.  If  we  dis 
cover  valuable  properties  where  old  Huayno  said 
they  were  located,  or  anywhere  else,  we  will  at  once 
stake  off  the  land,  just  as  is  done  in  the  United 
States,  then  return  to  Lima,  examine  the  padron 
index,  and  if  no  one  else  has  a  claim  we  will  notify 
the  Deputy  Commissioner  of  Mining  that  we  desire 
title. 

"  He  will  issue  us  a  document,  upon  our  payment 
of  the  first  year's  tax,  which  will  be  similar  to  the 
'  patent  applied  for '  paper  given  in  the  United 
States.  Within  ninety  days  after  receiving  this,  it 
will  be  necessary  to  return  to  the  mine  with  one  of  the 
officials  of  the  mining  department  and  an  official  sur 
veyor,  whose  expenses  for  the  trip  we  shall  be  com 
pelled  to  meet.  These  will  fix  the  actual  boundaries, 
and  upon  their  return  to  Lima  a  document  will  be 
issued  giving  us  the  right  to  mine  the  property,  and 
guaranteeing  our  sole  possession  so  long  as  we  pay 
the  annual  tax." 

"  That  all  seems  very  simple,"  said  Harvey. 


96  INCALAND. 

They  had  few  adventures  during  this  stage  of  the 
journey.  Several  times  wild  animals  crossed  their 
paths,  but  the  young  men  had  learned  wisdom  on 
the  trip  from  Chicla  to  Huari,  and  Seiior  Cisneros 
was  an  old  woodsman,  so  they  were  always  on  the 
lookout.  Game  continued  plentiful,  although  the 
country  grew  more  open  each  day. 

The  Marafion  changed  from  a  slow-running  stream 
to  a  broad,  rapid-coursing  river ;  in  places  were  cata 
racts,  and  the  shore  line  became  uneven,  boulders 
being  piled  so  high  that  the  way  between  them  was 
difficult  to  find.  In  this  rough  country  they  were 
once  all  day  going  three  miles  and  were  exhausted 
when  night  came.  Harvey  and  Ferguson  had  large 
blisters  on  their  feet,  and  the  other  two  proposed 
that  they  rest  for  the  twenty-four  hours  following ; 
but  the  Americans  were  too  anxious  to  proceed, 
being  so  near  the  journey's  end,  and  the  next  morn 
ing,  binding  pieces  of  a  handkerchief  around  the 
bruised  places,  they  announced  themselves  able  to 
push  ahead. 

This  was  the  twelfth  day  from  Huari,  and  all 
agreed  that  at  any  time  they  might  come  upon  the 
great  rock  that  marked  the  way  to  the  mine.  They 
were  certain  they  had  not  passed  it  unobserved,  for 
since  the  fifth  day  from  the  village  they  had  not 
moved  a  step  forward  after  dusk  or  until  morning 
was  well  advanced.  When  compelled  to  make  de- 


A   DISCOVERY   AND   AN   ALARM.  97 

tours,  one  or  more  of  them  had  ascended  every  half 
hour  to  some  eminence,  like  a  tree  or  a  high  mound, 
and  had  carefully  surveyed  the  right  bank  to  the 
water's  edge. 

Toward  four  o'clock  on  this  day  Hope-Jones  and 
Harvey  were  walking  somewhat  in  advance  of  the 
others.  The  boy  was  limping  slightly  and  was  in 
more  pain  than  he  would  admit  to  his  companion, 
who  had  urged  him  not  to  go  any  further,  to  which 
Harvey  had  replied,  "  One  more  mile  and  then  I'll 
give  in." 

The  lad  was  singing,  to  keep  up  his  courage,  and 
the  words  were  those  of  the  familiar  Sunday-school 

hymn :  — 

"  Onward,  Christian  soldiers, 
Marching  as  to  war." 

Suddenly  he  stopped,  gave  a  yell,  and  his  face 
turned  pale. 

"  What  is  it?  "  exclaimed  Hope- Jones.  "  Are  you 
hurt  ?  " 

"  Look  !  Look  !  Look  !  "  and  the  boy  pointed 
straight  ahead,  between  two  trees.  There,  bathed 
in  sunlight,  the  Englishman  saw  that  which  made 
his  heart  beat  like  a  trip-hammer  —  a  high  boulder 
that  shone  as  purest  marble. 

"  Hurrah !  "  he  shouted,  throwing  his  cap  in  the 
air.  "  Come  on,  everybody  !  There's  the  rock  ! 
There's  the  great  white  rock ! " 


98 


INCALAND. 


Ferguson  and  Seiior  Cisneros  came  up  at  a  run. 

"  What  ?     The  rock  ?  "  they  called. 

"  Yes.  Look  !  "  and  the  man  pointed  in  the 
direction  they  had  gazed. 

That  instant  the  Peruvian  exclaimed  excitedly  : 
"Down  with  you!  Drop  down,  everybody  !  Down, 
flat  on  your  stomachs  !  " 

Startled  by  his  commanding  tones  they  obeyed. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  asked  Hope- Jones. 

"  Sh  !  In  a  whisper !  Indians  !  A  score  of  them  ! 
And  they  look  like  the  Majeronas  I " 


CHAPTER   VII. 

THE   CANNIBALS    OF   PERU. 

Majeronas  !  "  echoed  Ferguson,  but  in  the 
whisper  which  he  had  been  cautioned  to  use. 
"  Are  they  not  a  savage  tribe  ?  " 

"They  are." 

"I  didn't  know  they  came  this  far,  not  within 
three  or  four  hundred  miles  of  here.  So  I  was  told 
in  Lima." 

"  It  is  only  recently  that  they  have  visited  this 
region.  Within  the  last  year  several  reports  have 
come  to  Huari  of  their  depredations." 

"  They  are  said  to  be  cannibals,  are  they  not  ?  " 

"Yes." 

Harvey  shivered  and  drew  his  gun  closer. 

"  What  are  we  going  to  do  ?  "  Hope- Jones  asked. 
He  was  thinking,  and  so  were  the  others,  how  lucky 
it  was  that  they  had  induced  the  experienced  miner 
and  woodsman  to  accompany  them. 

"For  a  time  we  will  wait  here,"  was  the  reply. 
"  They  may  go  away.  Again,  I  am  not  certain  they 

99 


100  INCALAND. 

are  the  Majeronas.  I  didn't  spend  any  great  amount 
of  time  examining  them,  I  can  assure  you.  They 
may  be  friendly  Ayulis,  but  just  at  present  we  do 
not  care  to  meet  even  friendly  Ayulis." 

"  What  is  the  difference  between  the  tribes,  senor  ?  " 
Harvey  asked,  gaining  control  of  himself  and  pre 
venting  his  teeth  chattering. 

"The  Majeronas  are  much  lighter  and  their  beards 
are  thinner.  The  Indians  yonder  certainly  answer 
the  description,  but  the  light  may  have  deceived 
me." 

"  I  think  the  light  of  a  setting  sun  would  darken 
a  face,  don't  you?"  suggested  Ferguson.  "It 
certainly  gave  a  red  tinge  to  that  white  rock." 

"  Perhaps  you  are  right." 

They  were  lying  very  close  together,  and  words 
spoken  in  a  whisper  were  heard  by  all.  Each  had 
drawn  his  weapon  to  his  side,  and  those  with  modern 
guns  threw  open  the  breech-locks  and  made  certain 
that  loaded  shells  were  in  the  chambers,  while  the 
Peruvian  examined  the  cap  on  his  rifle  and  swung 
loose  his  powder-horn  and  shot  pouch.  They  re 
mained  in  this  position  for  nearly  an  hour,  and  not 
hearing  a  sound  from  the  direction  where  the  Indians 
had  been  seen,  hope  came  that  the  redmen  had 
gone. 

But  this  was  dispelled  toward  five  o'clock  by 
Senor  Cisneros,  who  pointed  to  above  the  rock  be- 


THE   CANNIBALS   OF 

hind  which  they  were  hiding,  and  called  attention 
to  a  thin  line  of  blue  smoke  in  the  distance. 

"They  are  making  a  fire,"  he  said,  "and  have 
undoubtedly  chosen  that  place  for  a  camp." 

Neither  Hope -Jones,  Ferguson,  nor  Harvey  said 
a  word.  The  Peruvian  waited  a  minute,  then 
whispered :  — 

"  Do  you  want  to  retreat  ?  We  can  crawl  for  a 
short  distance  and  then  take  to  our  feet." 

"  And  the  white  rock  in  view  !  No,  I  don't  want 
to  retreat,"  said  the  Englishman. 

"  Nor  I,"  said  Ferguson. 

"  What  do  you  say,  Harvey  ?  " 

"I'd  rather  die  first,"  and  he  clenched  his  fists 
in  a  manner  that  showed  he  meant  all  that  he 
said. 

"  That's  right,"  whispered  the  seiior.  "  You  have 
courage  ;  that's  the  main  thing.  It  would  indeed 
be  a  pity  to  leave  the  spot  now,  for  I  am  convinced 
that  old  Huayno  told  the  truth  in  everything.  If 
they  are  Majeronas,  it  is  only  a  wandering  band. 
The  main  tribe  is  far  away,  and  we  shall  have  only 
these  to  settle  with,  should  the  worst  come  to  pass. 
But  the  probabilities  are  that  they  will  go  SLWSLJ  in 
the  morning.  Should  they  stay  in  this  neighbor 
hood  for  a  time,  we  might  be  able  to  remain  in  hiding. 
I  think  we  have  three  or  four  days'  supply  of  dried 
meat,  and  it  will  be  easy  to  crawl  down  to  the  river 


102  INC  ALAND. 

for  water.  If  it  comes  to  a  fight,  we  have  these," 
and  he  tapped  his  rifle. 

"  What  are  they  armed  with  ?  "  asked  Ferguson. 

"Arrows  and  bludgeons,  I  have  been  told." 

They  remained  in  the  prostrate  position  for 
some  time,  in  fact  until  night  fell,  then  following 
the  direction  of  Senor  Cisneros  they  moved  nearer 
the  river,  arriving  at  last  at  a  shallow  basin,  sur 
rounded  on  three  sides  by  boulders,  between  each 
of  which  was  a  space  of  about  a  half  foot,  giving  a 
view  of  the  surrounding  country,  and  which  would 
make  excellent  openings  for  their  guns,  should  it 
prove  necessary  to  use  them. 

"  How's  this  for  a  natural  fort  ?  "  said  the  Peru 
vian.  "  We're  near  the  water  supply,  and  I  think 
we  can  hold  the  position  for  a  time." 

"  What  about  supper  ?  "  asked  Harvey,  who,  after 
the  first  minute's  fright,  had  shown  as  much  uncon 
cern  as  any  of  them  and  was  now  feeling  quite 
hungry. 

"  Dried  meat  and  water,"  promptly  said  the  senor. 
"  No  fire  must  be  lighted  to-night.  I  will  get  the 
water." 

He  took  a  skin  bag,  which  he  had  brought  from 
Huari,  and  slowly  crawled  in  the  direction  of  the 
river.  He  moved  so  cautiously  that  they  did  not 
hear  a  sound,  and  when  he  returned  to  the  camp,  in 
a  quarter  of  an  hour,  his  appearance  was  so  sud- 


THE   CANNIBALS   OF   PERU.  103 

den  and  without  warning  that  all  three  were 
startled. 

They  ate  sparingly  of  the  dried  meat,  for  Seiior 
Cisneros,  who  had  taken  command  at  the  urgent 
solicitation  of  the  others,  had  divided  the  food 
supply  into  rations  sufficient  to  last  three  days. 

"We  must  call  you  captain  now,"  said  Harvey, 
as  he  munched  his  share,  "for  these  are  war 
times." 

After  supper  they  made  preparation  for  the  night, 
moving  cautiously,  so  that  metal  might  not  ring  out, 
nor  anything  fall.  They  had  no  poles  for  the  shel 
ter-tent  ;  it  was  deemed  unwise  to  try  to  secure 
any,  so  they  disposed  the  canvas  as  a  bed  and 
spread  a  blanket.  This  done,  the  senor  said  he 
would  go  out  and  reconnoitre. 

"  I  must  ascertain  whether  they  are  Majeronas  or 
Ayulis,"  he  explained,  "  and  I  must  also  learn  their 
number." 

He  took  everything  out  of  his  pockets  and  di 
vested  himself  of  such  clothing  as  would  impede 
his  progress  —  removed  his  poncho,  his  shoes  and 
stockings,  and  soon  was  ready,  barefooted  and  clad 
only  in  a  woollen  shirt  and  trousers.  Sounds  now 
came  distinctly  from  clown  the  river.  These  noises, 
first  heard  faintly  while  they  were  eating  their 
frugal  supper,  grew  in  volume  and  became  long 
wails,  rising  and  falling. 


104  INCALAND. 

"  They  are  singing,"  whispered  the  senor.  "  That 
is  a  chant." 

He  placed  a  hunting-knife  in  his  belt,  laying 
aside  his  rifle,  and  announced  himself  ready  to  leave. 

"  What  if  they  should  see  you  and  should  attack  ? 
How  are  we  to  know  it  ?  "  asked  Ferguson. 

The  captain  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "I  think 
you  would  not  know  until  I  failed  to  return." 

"That  will  never  do,  sir,"  protested  the  Ameri 
can.  "  Take  your  revolver,"  and  he  picked  up  the 
small  weapon,  which  had  been  discarded  with  the 
rifle.  "  If  you  are  attacked,  fire  a  shot,  and  we  will 
hurry  to  the  rescue.  We  all  stand  together  in  this. 
Don't  we,  fellows  ?  " 

"  Of  course  we  do,"  said  Hope- Jones  and  Harvey. 

He  looked  at  them  gratefully  and  started  to 
leave,  but  stopped  a  minute  to  say :  "  While  I  am 
gone  keep  a  close  watch.  Don't  worry,  even  should 
I  be  absent  two  hours,  for  it  will  be  slow  work.  I 
will  fire  the  pistol  should  anything  happen.  Good- 
by." 

"  Good-by,"  they  said,  and  each  grasped  him  by 
the  hand. 

It  was  quite  lonely  when  he  had  gone,  and  they 
then  appreciated  how  much  they  depended  upon  him. 
From  down  the  river  the  sound  of  the  chant  came 
louder,  evidence  that  more  voices  were  joining  in  the 
evening  song.  It  was  a  night  with  no  clouds  in  the 


THE   CANNIBALS   OF    PERTT.  105 

sky,  and  the  full  moon  shone  direct  upon  their  camp 
and  the  surrounding  country,  silvering  the  broad 
leaves  of  trees,  throwing  the  trunks  into  blackness 
more  deep  by  the  contrast,  and  causing  strange 
shadows  to  appear  on  all  sides.  As  a  gentle  wind 
stirred  the  branches,  the  shadows  moved  from  side  to 
side.  Once  or  twice  Harvey,  who  was  stationed  at 
the  opening  near  the  wooded  country,  was  certain 
that  he  saw  the  figure  of  an  Indian,  and  whispered 
a  warning,  but  each  time  it  proved  to  be  only  the 
obscuration  of  the  moonlight  by  a  branch  or  a  rock. 

From  the  river  bank  came  the  croaking  of  frogs, 
tree-toads  sounded  among  the  growth  of  vegetation;  in 
the  blackness  where  stood  the  trees,  flitted  fireflies,  and 
occasionally  a  glow-worm  crawled  along  the  ground. 
They  were  startled  now  and  then  by  a  faint  splash  in 
the  river  and  made  ready  for  an  attack,  but  as  noth 
ing  followed,  they  concluded  that  a  fish  had  risen 
and  in  diving  again  had  flipped  the  water  with  its 
tail  —  a  sound  they  would  not  have  ordinarily  noticed, 
but  which  seemed  loud  to  their  sense  of  hearing,  more 
acute  than  usual  because  of  the  nerve  strain  under 
which  they  rested. 

After  a  time  that  seemed  to  him  interminable  Har 
vey  whispered  to  Hope- Jones,  "  I  wonder  if  anything 
has  happened  to  the  captain.  Has  he  not  been  gone 
longer  than  he  expected  ?  " 

The  Englishman  looked  at  his  watch.     The  moon- 


106 


INCALAND. 


light  was  so  bright  that  he  could  distinctly  see  the 
dial  and  the  hands. 

"  No,  he  has  been  absent  only  an  hour,"  was  the 
reply. 

From  the  woods  came  the  hoot  of  an  owl.  A  few 
minutes  later  a  low  growl  was  heard  in  the  distance. 

"That's  a  puma,"  said  Ferguson.  "If  it  should 
come  this  way  we  would  have  to  fire,  and  then  those 
redskins  would  be  attracted." 

But  it  did  not  come  near  them,  nor  did  the  growl 
sound  again.  The  owl  continued  to  hoot  dismally, 
and  the  call  of  a  night  bird  was  also  heard.  Of  a 
sudden  Hope-Jones  exclaimed  "  Sh  !  "  and  pushed 
his  rifle  through  the  opening  at  the  side  of  the  river. 

A  dry  branch  had  crackled.  His  warning  was  fol 
lowed  by  a  voice  outside  the  camp,  saying  in  low 
tones,  "  It's  I,  boys,"  and  the  next  second  the  captain 
had  rejoined  them.  He  was  considerably  out  of 
breath,  and  they  noticed  that  his  clothing  was  more 
torn  than  when  he  had  left  the  camp. 

"  It's  pretty  tough  work  crawling  nearly  a  mile  on 
the  hands  and  knees,"  he  finally  found  voice  to  say. 
"  But  I  saw  them  and  had  a  good  view,  lying  on  a 
rock  that  overlooked  their  camp.  I  was  so  close  that 
I  could  have  picked  off  a  half  dozen  with  my  re 
volver." 

"  Are  they  Ayulis  ?  "  asked  Ferguson. 

"No,  Majeronas." 


THE   CANNIBALS   OF   PERU.  107 

"  The  savages  ?  " 

He  nodded  his  head. 

None  of  them  asked  any  more  questions  for  a  full 
minute,  then  Harvey  said  rather  hoarsely,  "  How 
many  of  them  are  there  ?  " 

"  It's  a  large  band,  my  boy.  More  by  far  than  I 
would  wish  for.  I  counted  forty." 

Forty  —  and  they  were  four  !  No  wonder  their 
cheeks  blanched. 

"  They  have  eaten  a  deer  and  other  animals  that 
I  could  make  out,"  the  captain  continued,  "  and  are 
lying  around  on  the  ground,  resting  after  their 
feast.  It  would  be  an  easy  matter  for  us  to  creep 
up  to  them  and  pick  off  a  score  and  probably  put 
to  flight  the  remainder,  but  I  don't  like  to  have 
the  blood  of  even  a  Majerona  on  my  hands,  unless 
to  save  our  lives.  What  do  you  say  ?  " 

They  agreed  with  him,  then  inquired  what  would 
be  best  to  do. 

"There's  nothing  to  do,  but  to  wait  developments. 
We  are  in  no  danger  to-night,  so  long  as  we  keep 
still.  The  probabilities  are  that  they  will  move  in 
the  morning,  and  I  think  they  are  going  down 
stream.  However,  should  they  come  this  way,  we 
shall  have  to  face  the  music." 

"  Could  we  not  confer  with  the  chief  and  promise 
him  presents  if  they  will  let  us  alone?  " 

"  Confer    with    a    Majerona !      Never,    my   boy. 


108  INCALAND. 

They  are  the  Philistines  of  Peru  and  are  cannibals. 
Why,  that  fire  over  there  was  not  to  cook  their 
food.  They  pulled  the  deer  apart  and  ate  strips  of 
meat  raw.  I  don't  wish  to  frighten  you,  only  to 
make  it  plain  that  we  are  near  an  enemy  that 
doesn't  even  know  what  it  is  to  spare  a  man  of  a 
different  tribe  or  race.  To  change  the  subject,  I 
will  suggest  that  as  we  have  to  prepare  for  a  siege, 
our  best  plan  is  to  get  some  sleep.  It  will  be 
necessary  to  keep  a  close  watch  all  night.  I  am 
very  tired  and  I  will  ask  Mr.  Hope-Jones  to  stand 
the  first,  Mr.  Ferguson  the  second,  and  I  will  take 
the  third." 

uWhat  about  me?"  asked  Harvey.  "I  should 
do  my  share." 

"Very  well.  I  thought  you  might  be  lonely  on 
guard.  You  may  take  that  last  watch,  the  one  near 
daybreak.  That  will  make  four  watches  of  two 
hours  each.  Come,  those  who  can  get  rest  had 
better  improve  the  opportunity." 

Saying  which  the  Peruvian  rolled  himself  under  a 
blanket  and  lay  down  in  the  shadow  of  one  of  the 
boulders.  Ferguson  -followed  his  example,  and  Har 
vey,  drawing  his  cover  close,  took  a  position  in  the 
centre  of  the  camp. 

"Tell  the  lad  to  come  out  of  the  moonlight," 
said  the  captain  to  Ferguson,  who  was  between 
them.  The  American  did  so,  and  Harvey  crept 


THE      CANNIBALS   OF   PERU.  109 

closer  to  Senor  Cisneros.  "  Why  was  that  ? "  he 
asked, 

"  Because  moonlight  falling  on  one's  face  in  this 
latitude  sometimes  causes  insanity." 

"  I  have  heard  that,"  the  boy  said,  "  but  I  thought 
science  had  exploded  the  theory." 

"Science  or  no  science,  no  Indian  will  ever  lie 
down  in  the  open  without  covering  his  head.  And 
now  good  night.  Try  to  sleep." 

But  as  for  sleep,  nothing  was  farther  from  Har 
vey's  mind.  He  lay  quite  still,  however,  so  as  not 
to  disturb  the  others,  and  watched  Hope- Jones,  who 
stood  at  the  opening  near  the  river,  his  rifle  resting 
on  the  little  ledge  of  rock,  gazing  steadily  in  the 
direction  of  the  Indian  camp.  The  owl  continued 
to  hoot,  the  night  bird  to  call,  the  tree-toads  chirped 
merrily,  and  the  frogs  kept  up  their  doleful  croak 
ing.  But  the  mournful  chant  had  ceased,  and  it 
was  evident  that  slumber  had  stolen  over  the  camp 
of  the  Indians.  The  boy,  in  earnest  endeavor  to 
sleep,  resorted  to  all  those  expedients  which  are 
recommended,  and  finally  counted  up  to  one  thou 
sand.  After  that  he  yawned  and  wondered  if  it  was 
possible,  if  he  was  really  losing  consciousness  under 

such  circumstances  ;  if Some  one  tapped  him 

on  the  shoulder,  and  he  sprang  to  an  upright  position. 

"  It's  your  watch,  Harvey,"  the  captain  said.  "  But 
never  mind,  I  will  stand  it  for  you." 


110 


1NCALAND. 


"  No,  sir,"  said  the  boy,  stoutly,  as  he  rubbed  his 
eyes  and  picked  up  Ferguson's  rifle.  The  captain 
rolled  himself  in  his  blanket  without  further  words 
and  was  soon  breathing  heavily. 

Could  it  be  possible,  thought  the  lad,  that  it  was 
really  his  turn?  Why,  it  seemed  that  only  the 
minute  before  he  had  watched  Hope- Jones  standing 
at  the  opening,  and  now  the  Englishman  was  lying 
down.  Why,  not  only  the  captain  but  Ferguson  had 
stood  watch  in  the  meanwhile  !  And  there  was  no 
moonlight  !  Of  course  not  ;  it  was  four  o'clock  in 
the  morning.  He  yawned  ;  then  shook  himself  and 
muttered,  "  This  will  never  do  !  "  and,  all  at  once, 
he  was  wide  awake  and  fit  for  his  duty  as  sentry. 

It  was  chill  and  damp.  From  the  river  a  light 
mist  was  creeping.  He  could  not  see  it,  but  he  felt 
the  wet  on  his  cheeks.  The  bird  had  ceased  crying, 
and  so  had  the  tree-toads  and  the  frogs.  It  was  in 
describably  lonely  ;  but  his  great  comfort  came  from 
the  fact  that  three  trusted  companions  were  so  near 
that  he  could  almost  touch  them  with  his  foot,  and 
he  knew  they  would  awaken  at  his  slightest  call. 

While  standing  there,  his  rifle  resting  on  the  ledge, 
he  thought  of  the  dear  ones  at  home  and  wondered 
what  they  would  say,  could  they  know  the  plight  he 
was  in.  "  My,  but  Louis  and  Carl  would  give  their 
boots  to  be  here,  I  know  !  "  was  a  sentence  that 
passed  through  his  mind.  And  the  other  members 


THE   CANNIBALS   OF   PERU.  Ill 

of  the  Callao  Rowing  Club  —  what  adventures  he 
could  relate  to  them  upon  his  return  !  He  thought 
of  the  regattas,  when  as  coxswain  he  had  steered  to 
victory  the  eight-oared  shells  in  which  Hope-Jones 
had  pulled  stroke  and  Ferguson  bow  ;  and  now  here 
they  were,  far  in  the  interior  of  Peru,  near  a  camp 
of  cannibals. 

At  the  thought  of  cannibals,  Harvey's  heart  gave 
a  quick  jump.  But  it  was  soon  steady  again,  and 
he  commenced  thinking  of  the  dreary  night  he  had 
passed  in  Callao  Bay,  while  afloat  on  a  torpedo,  which 
strange  adventure  of  the  younger  Dartmoor  brother 
is  related  in  detail  in  "  Fighting  Under  the  Southern 
Cross."  He  had  come  out  of  that  safely,  and  why 
not  out  of  this  ?  Then  the  lad  remembered  that  for 
several  nights  he  had  neglected  to  say  those  words 
which  he  had  learned  when  a  little  child  at  his 
mother's  knee,  so  he  fervently  repeated  the  prayers 
she  had  taught  him.  After  this  he  felt  more  courage 
than  ever,  and  when  a  fish  rose  in  the  river,  it  did  not 
cause  him  to  start  as  had  the  sounds  earlier  in  the 
night.  Thus  communing  with  himself  and  with  his 
God,  time  passed  quickly  for  the  boy,  and  soon  he 
began  to  make  out  the  shadowy  forms  of  the  mist 
that  rose  from  the  water. 

In  this  latitude,  near  the  equator,  there  are  only  a 
few  minutes  of  twilight,  so  it  was  soon  bright  enough 
for  him  to  look  at  the  watch  that  had  been  left  on 


INCALAND. 

the  stone  ledge.  Ten  minutes  to  six  !  He  could 
soon  call  the  others.  The  generous  impulse  came 
to  let  them  sleep  for  another  hour,  but  it  was  fol 
lowed  by  the  thought  that  the  Indians  were  undoubt 
edly  awakening,  and  as  they  might  at  once  march  up 
the  river,  it  would  be  well  for  all  to  be  on  the  alert. 
So  when  the  long  hand  pointed  at  twelve  and  the 
short  hand  at  the  dot  which  on  clocks  and  watches 
is  the  sign  for  six,  he  touched  the  captain  lightly  on 
the  arm.  Senor  Cisneros  sprang  up.  It  was  broad 
day.  He  awakened  Hope-Jones  and  Ferguson. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

THE  FORT  ON  THE  MAR  ANON. 

FOR  several  minutes  after  the  camp  was  astir  the 
Peruvian  stood  near  one  of  the  openings,  and 
placing  a  hand  partly  back  of  an  ear,  so  that  more 
sound  waves  might  reach  that  organ,  he  listened 
intently,  in  hopes  that  he  might  determine  whether 
the  Majeronas  were  on  the  move  or  still  in  camp. 
But  in  early  day  they  are  not  given  to  making  as 
much  noise  as  at  night,  when  that  wild  chant,  con 
sidered  part  of  a  religious  ceremony,  rolls  out,  and 
the  captain  turned  to  his  companions,  disappointed. 
Then,  as  all  were  hungry,  another  ration  was  con 
sumed  by  each,  and  as  there  was  plenty  of  cool  water 
in  the  skin  no  one  was  called  upon  to  risk  a  trip  to 
the  river.  They  continued  conversing  in  whispers 
and  observed  the  same  caution  as  on  the  evening 
before.  Unless  they  gave  thought  to  the  cause,  their 
low  tones  seemed  very  strange  and  unnecessary,  for 
nothing  was  in  evidence  to  remind  them  of  the  pres 
ence  in  the  vicinity  of  savages ;  not  even  did  smoke 
i  113 


114  INCALAND. 

rise  from  the  place  where  they  were  encamped.     Soon 
after  breakfast  Harvey  said  to  Senor  Cisneros :  — 

"  If  you  will  permit  me,  captain,  I  will  crawl  over 
to  that  tree,"  and  he  pointed  to  one  whose  lower 
branches  were  near  the  ground,  yet  whose  trunk  rose 
to  quite  a  height,  "  and  by  climbing  I  can  see  what 
the  Indians  are  doing.  The  leaves  are  thick  so  that 
I  shall  be  well  hidden,  and  my  suit  is  about  the  color 
of  the  bark." 

The  plan  was  approved  and  the  boy  left  the  camp, 
imitating  the  manner  in  which  Serior  Cisneros  had 
made  his  journeys  of  the  evening  before.  The  three 
within  the  enclosure  looked  at  him  approvingly,  and 
the  Peruvian  said:  "He  worms  his  way  along  as 
well  as  an  experienced  woodsman.  That's  a  very 
clever  lad." 

"Indeed,  he  is,"  said  Hope- Jones,  "and  a  more 
truthful,  honest  youngster  I  never  met." 

They  watched  the  tree  which  Harvey  had  spoken 
of  as  his  goal,  and  before  long  they  saw  something 
moving  in  the  branches,  but  very  slowly,  for  the  boy 
was  observing  even  more  caution  than  when  on  the 
ground.  After  ten  minutes'  careful  climbing  he 
reached  a  spot  halfway  to  the  top,  where  the  branches 
were  fewer,  and  there  he  stopped,  evidently  at  a  suf 
ficient  altitude  to  look  over  the  intervening  boulders 
and  see  the  camp  of  the  Majeronas.  He  was  sta 
tionary  for  a  few  seconds,  then  they  saw  him  com- 


THE   FORT   ON   THE   MARA^ON.  115 

mence  to  descend,  but  no  longer  slowly  and  with 
caution ;  he  came  down  hand  below  hand,  and  when 
he  reached  the  ground  he  ran  to  the  camp,  not  at 
tempting  to  observe  the  quiet  which  had  marked  his 
departure. 

Knowing  that  he  must  have  good  cause  for  alarm 
and  feeling  that  an  attack  was  possibly  imminent, 
the  three  men  stood  at  a  "  ready  "  in  the  openings, 
their  weapons  poised.  When  Harvey  joined  them 
he  said  quickly,  but  in  low  tones  :  — 

"  A  half  dozen  of  the  savages  are  coming  this  way. 
They  were  not  far  off  when  I  left  the  tree  and  were 
moving  slowly,  looking  closely  at  the  ground,  as  if 
in  search  of  something.  The  others  are  still  in 
camp." 

Saying  this,  Harvey  picked  up  his  shot-gun. 

"  You  say  they  are  walking  slowly  and  looking 
down,  as  if  in  search  of  something?" 

"  Yes,  captain.  They  were  bent  low,  and  at  first  I 
thought  they  were  crawling ;  then  I  saw  that  they 
appeared  to  be  examining  the  ground  as  they 
passed." 

"  Hum  !  I  suppose  they  found  my  trail.  The 
copper-colored  rascals  have  a  scent  as  keen  as  a  dog. 
But  I  think  that  I  fooled  them." 

"  How  so  ?  "  asked  Ferguson. 

"  I  took  to  the  water  when  halfway  between  the 
camps  and  waded  for  a  couple  of  hundred  yards." 


116  INCALAND. 

"  Then  you  don't  think  that  they  will  be  able  to 
track  you  ?  " 

"No.  But  they  may  search  the  neighborhood 
before  they  leave." 

"  Harvey  reports  the  main  body  still  at  the  white 
rock.  How  do  you  account  for  that  ?  " 

"  The  band  is  undoubtedly  resting  for  the  day. 
It  is  probable  that  the  savages  have  travelled  some 
distance  and  have  called  a  forty-eight  hours'  halt. 
I  can  think  of  no  other  reason,  for  surely  there  could 
be  no  game  to  attract  them  in  this  vicinity,  and  there 
is  no  hostile  tribe  near  for  them  to  attack." 

"  You  don't  suppose  they  are  in  search  of  the  gold, 
do  you  ?  "  asked  Harvey. 

"  Gold  !  They  don't  know  what  gold  is.  They 
are  the  most  ignorant  Indians  in  all  Peru." 

This  whispered  conversation  was  suddenly  brought 
to  an  end  by  Ferguson,  who  placed  his  fingers  on  his 
lips,  to  enjoin  silence,  and  pointed  through  the  open 
ing  nearest  the  river.  They  looked  in  the  direction, 
and  saw  a  head  projecting  beyond  a  rock.  It  was 
the  head  of  a  Majerona,  long  black  hair,  and  skin  a 
light  copper  color.  The  savage  looked  up  and  down 
stream,  then  was  lost  to  sight  for  a  moment,  and 
soon  stood  out  in  the  open,  where  he  was  joined  by 
several  others. 

They  were  naked,  save  for  strips  of  hide  that 
served  as  loin  cloths.  They  were  tall,  well-formed 


THE   FORT   ON   THE   MAR  ANON.  117 

men,  straight  and  muscular  :  each  held  a  long  bow, 
and  dependent  from  the  belt  of  hide,  instead  of 
swung  over  the  shoulder,  was  a  quiver  filled  with 
arrows.  The  cannibal  who  had  first  thrust  out  his 
head  had  done  so  cautiously,  as  if  to  survey  the 
country,  but  they  soon  became  bold,  evidently  con 
vinced  that  they  were  alone.  First,  they  took  a 
few  steps  up  stream,  at  which  the  white  men  tight 
ened  their  grips  on  the  weapons,  and  then,  for  some 
reason,  they  turned  about  and  hurried  away. 

"  Whew  !  that  was  a  narrow  escape  !  "  muttered 
Ferguson. 

"  Yes ;  and  I  fear  it  will  prove  no  escape  after  all. 
They  were  sent  out  to  scout,  and  another  band  un 
doubtedly  will  be  despatched  in  a  little  while.  The 
chances  are  against  our  not  being  seen,  and  as  the 
probability  is  that  we  will  have  to  fight,  I  propose 
that  we  make  our  fort  better  suited  for  defence. 
Harvey,  fill  every  pot,  pan,  and  cup  we  have  with 
water.  Don't  try  to  crawl ;  only  step  as  softly  as 
possible  so  as  not  to  cause  stones  to  roll  and  dry 
branches  to  break.  Hope-Jones  and  Ferguson,  I 
wish  you  would  go  to  that  drift  pile  over  there,  and 
bring  me  all  the  branches  and  wood  possible.  You 
cannot  bring  too  much." 

They  at  once  commenced  their  allotted  tasks,  and 
the  senor  remained  behind  the  boulders,  keeping  an 
eye  down  stream,  and  at  the  same  time  directing 


118  INCALAND. 

where  the  wood  should  be  placed  as  it  was  brought 
in.  First,  he  had  the  openings  between  the  rocks 
carefully  filled,  to  the  height  of  his  shoulders,  the 
pieces  of  wood  interlaced  in  the  same  manner  that 
log  fences  are  built  in  the  American  farming  country. 
This  done,  he  gave  orders  for  wood  to  be  piled  at 
the  rear  of  their  position.  It  will  be  remembered 
that  the  boulders  formed  a  shelter  on  three  sides, 
and  Ferguson  and  Hope-Jones,  seeing  at  once  that 
the  Peruvian's  idea  was  to  close  the  fourth,  redoubled 
their  efforts,  and  within  a  half  hour  they  had  brought 
in  what  they  deemed  sufficient  material  to  erect  the 
barricade. 

"  More  !  "  the  captain  said,  when  they  asked  him  if 
that  would  do.  "  Bring  all  of  that  pile  if  you  can." 

Harvey  had  finished  his  task  by  this  time,  and 
placing  him  on  guard,  Seiior  Cisneros  turned  his 
attention  to  shaping  the  rear  defence.  He  con 
structed  the  wall  V-shaped,  the  angle  outward,  ex 
plaining  to  the  boy  that  in  this  form  it  could  better 
withstand  the  force  of  an  attack,  should  the  Indians 
try  to  rush  the  position.  But  the  longest  boughs  he 
placed  slanting  against  the  high  boulders,  so  that 
they  formed  a  roof  over  half  the  space.  These  he 
wove  in  and  out  with  a  tough  young  vine  that  he 
had  directed  Ferguson  to  bring  from  a  tree  near  by, 
and  which  had  fallen  in  a  mass  when  a  slight  pull 
had  been  given. 


THE   FORT   ON   THE   MARA&ON.  119 

An  hour  after  they  had  commenced  their  task,  the 
captain  said  there  was  sufficient  wood  on  hand,  and 
Hope-Jones  and  Ferguson,  tired,  red  of  face,  and  per 
spiring  profusely,  pushed  in  through  the  narrow 
opening  that  had  been  left  for  their  entrance,  which 
the  Peruvian  at  once  closed  with  some  branches  that 
he  had  placed  to  one  side  for  that  purpose. 

Ferguson  had  cut  his  left  hand,  and  the  handker 
chief  which  he  had  wound  around  the  injured  mem 
ber  was  blood  stained.  When  he  was  asked  if  the 
cut  was  a  deep  one,  he  replied  by  saying  that  it  was 
lucky  it  had  not  happened  to  the  other,  or  he  would 
have  trouble  holding  his  rifle.  Then  he  questioned 
Senor  Cisneros  why  he  had  formed  a  roof  over  part 
of  the  enclosure. 

"  To  be  sure  it's  nice  to  have  shade,"  he  said,  "  but  I 
should  have  thought  you  too  tired  to  attend  to  that." 

"  And  might  have  had  mercy  on  you  two  and  not 
have  asked  you  to  carry  in  more  boughs  than  abso 
lutely  necessary,  eh  ?  "  responded  the  captain,  smil 
ing. 

"I  didn't  say  that." 

"  No ;  but  I  wouldn't  blame  you  for  thinking  it. 
However,  this  little  roof  will  probably  prove  more 
valuable  than  any  defence  we  have  constructed." 

"  How  so  ?  " 

"Did  you  ever  see  a  Peruvian  Indian  shoot  an 
arrow  ?  an  Ayuli,  or  a  man  of  any  other  tribe  ?  " 


120  INCALAND. 

No.     They  had  not. 

"I  have  watched  them  many  times;  and  I  have 
seen  them  kill  a  deer  and  not  aim  at  it  at  all ;  only 
shoot  up  in  the  air." 

"  And  the  arrow  would  describe  a  parabola  and 
fall  on  the  animal  ?  " 

"  Its  flight  would  rather  be  the  sides  of  a  triangle, 
and  it  would  turn  in  mid  air  at  the  apex,  then  falling 
at  the  same  angle  on  the  other  side,  would  strike  the 
deer  in  the  back." 

"  Have  you  seen  this  done  ?  " 

"  Yes ;   and  not  once,  but  several  times. " 

"  Then  I  can  understand  why  you  built  the  cover 
ing  ! "  exclaimed  Hope-Jones ;  and  so  did  the  others. 

As  the  three  men  were  quite  tired,  the  captain  let 
Harvey  stand  guard,  and  they  lay  down  in  the  shade. 
Thus  another  hour  passed,  and  not  a  sight  of  an  Ind 
ian  was  had,  nor  did  a  sound  come  from  down  the 
river. 

Toward  noon  the  rations  of  dried  meat  were  passed 
around,  and  so  was  water,  sparingly.  After  that  they 
talked  and  waited,  relieving  each  other  at  the  open 
ing  near  the  river  every  half  hour,  in  order  that  all 
might  be  in  good  condition  should  an  attack  occur. 

One  o'clock  came,  two,  then  three,  and  the  little 
garrison  commenced  to  speculate  on  the  probability 
of  danger  having  passed.  Perhaps  the  band  had 
gone  away ;  it  might  be  that  the  savages  they  had 


THE  FOBT   ON   THE   MARA&ON.  121 

seen  in  the  morning  had  been  recalled  to  camp  in 
order  to  resume  the  march ;  or,  perhaps  all  were 
resting,  and  no  further  attempt  was  being  made  to 
reconnoitre  the  surrounding  country.  In  that  event 
they  would  undoubtedly  leave  early  the  next  morn 
ing.  But  even  after  the  Majeronas  had  departed, 
how  long  would  they  have  to  remain  quiet  and  on 
the  defensive  before  they  dared  approach  the  location 
of  the  mine  ? 

"  I  would  almost  rather  have  a  fight  with  them  ; 
that  is,  if  we  could  give  them  such  a  taste  of  mod 
ern  firearms  that  they  would  leave  the  country," 
said  Senor  Cisneros,  rising  from  the  place  where  he 
had  been  resting  in  the  shade. 

He  approached  the  opening  that  faced  the  thinly 
grown  forest,  and  gazed  over  the  brushwood  that 
was  piled  as  a  protection,  in  the  direction  of  the 
trees.  They  saw  him  bend  forward,  as  one  is  apt  to 
do  when  looking  intently  at  something,  and  then, 
turning,  he  beckoned  Ferguson  to  his  side. 

"  Look,"  he  whispered.  "  Do  you  see  that  long 
grass  waving  over  there,  under  that  ironwood 
tree?" 

"  Yes.     I  guess  it  is  wind  blown." 

"But  there  isn't  a  particle  of  wind.  Wet  your 
finger  and  hold  your  hand  up  high." 

The  American  did  so.  "  No,"  he  said.  "  There's 
no  breeze.  What  makes  the  grass  wave,  then?  " 


122  INCALAND. 

"  One  of  those  copper-skinned  rascals  is  crawling 
through  it,"  said  the  captain. 

"  Shall  I  pick  him  off  ? "  and  Ferguson  reached 
for  his  rifle. 

"  By  no  means."  The  seiior  reached  out  his  hand 
and  caught  the  barrel.  "  We  are  not  sure  that  they 
have  seen  us,  although  such  is  probably  the  case. 
Aside  from  that,  I  would  rather  not  be  the  first  to 
engage.  But  a  better  reason  than  all  is  that  we 
should  reserve  our  fire,  if  firing  be  necessary,  until 
we  can  let  go  a  volley  into  their  midst.  It  might 
stampede  them. 

"  Ah  !  see  !  "  he  exclaimed  a  moment  later.  "  My 
first  surmise  was  correct." 

The  Indian  had  risen  suddenly  from  the  grass 
and  had  bent  his  bow.  But  the  arrow  was  not 
aimed  in  their  direction ;  it  was  pointed  toward  the 
woods,  away  from  the  river  bank,  and  that  moment 
Ferguson  saw  a  young  deer  near  a  dwarf  palm. 
Sharp  and  clear  they  heard  the  twang  of  the  hide- 
string  and  the  whistle  of  the  dart,  so  near  was  the 
savage  to  them  ;  and  the  animal  fell  dead  in  its 
tracks.  The  Majerona  walked  leisurely  over  to 
where  his  prey  had  dropped,  and  lifting  it  on  his 
broad  shoulders,  he  started  back  to  camp. 

"  He  is  a  hunter  for  the  band,"  said  the  captain. 
"  There  are  probably  others  out.  His  actions  are 
proof  that  they  do  not  even  suspect  we  are  in  the 


THE  FORT   ON  THE  MARA^ON.  123 

vicinity.  I  suppose  they  think  that  my  trail,  which 
they  followed  for  a  short  distance  this  morning,  was 
that  of  a  wild  animal.  Now  I  believe  that  we  are 
going  to  get  out  of  this  without  even  a  brush  with 
them." 

All  breathed  easier  at  these  reassuring  words  ;  all 
except  Harvey,  who  said,  "  But  there  is  a  chance 
they  may  come,  is  there  not  ? " 

"  Why,  from  your  tone,  I  really  believe  you  wish 
they  would,"  said  the  sefior.  "  But,"  he  added, 
"that  chance  and  a  remark  which  I  made  to  Mr. 
Ferguson  have  reminded  me  of  something.  I  believe 
I  said  that  a  volley  might  have  a  demoralizing  effect, 
did  I  not  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  I  think  you  did." 

"Then  I  shall  endeavor  to  increase  the  effect. 
Didn't  I  see  a  gourd  in  camp  ?  " 

"  Harvey  has  one  which  Senora  Cisneros  gave  him." 

"Let  me  have  it,  Harvey.  I  can't  promise  to 
return  it,  but  I  may  make  it  of  use." 

He  emptied  some  powder  into  the  receptacle, 
then  asked  for  a  contribution  of  loaded  shells, 
which  he  put  with  the  black  grains.  With  some 
shreds  of  cotton,  which  he  twisted  into  shape,  and 
some  dampened  powder  he  made  a  fuse  and  placed 
it  in  the  opening  of  the  gourd,  then  sealed  it  with 
moist  clay  made  from  the  soil  underfoot,  dampened 
with  water. 


124  INC  ALAND. 

"  There  !  "  he  exclaimed,  "  there's  a  bomb  I  It 
may  fail  to  ignite,  and  it  will  have  to  be  handled 
quickly,  but  if  it  ever  does  go  off  in  the  midst  of 
the  copper-skins  there  will  be  a  foot-race  down  the 
river  that  will  prove  interesting." 

He  had  been  an  hour  making  this  weapon  of 
defence.  The  hands  of  their  watches  pointed  to 
four  o'clock,  and  the  shadows  to  the  east  of  them 
commenced  to  grow  long.  Ferguson  was  on  watch. 
The  others  were  lolling  about  on  the  ground,  think 
ing  more  of  other  matters  than  they  had  at  any  time 
since  the  evening  before,  when  they  were  suddenly 
startled  by  a  rifle  shot. 

An  answering  scream  came  from  above  their  heads, 
and  a  wounded  Majerona,  who  had  crawled  to  the  top 
of  the  lowest  boulder  and  was  peering  into  the  camp, 
came  rolling  down  upon  them. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

ATTACKED   BY   CANNIBALS. 

IN  his  descent  the  savage  struck  Harvey,  who  was 
crawling  from  under  the  shelter,  and  the  lad  was 
sent  sprawling  to  the  other  side  of   the   little   en 
closure. 

"  Hold  him  !  Keep  him  down  !  "  called  the  senor 
to  Hope- Jones,  who  with  great  presence  of  mind  had 
fallen  upon  the  struggling  Majerona.  But  there  was 
little  use  for  the  Peruvian  to  urge,  or  the  English 
man  to  use  his  strength,  for  the  Indian  was  mortally 
wounded  ;  his  struggles  were  death  throes,  not  efforts 
to  give  combat,  and  in  a  few  seconds  he  rolled  over, 
dead.  The  rifle  ball  had  pierced  his  brain.  Two 
shots  had  rung  out  from  the  opening  while  this  was 
going  on,  and  howls  and  cries  answered  them.  Fer 
guson  was  busily  pumping  lead  into  others  of  the 
cannibals,  and  when  his  companions  hurried  to  his 
side,  they  saw  one  man  stretched  out  not  fifty  feet 
from  the  enclosure,  and  another,  evidently  wounded, 
was  being  assisted  away  in  the  direction  of  the 
encampment  by  a  half  dozen  fellow-tribesmen. 

125 


126  INCALAND. 

"  Now  we  are  in  for  it !  "  said  Sertor  Cisneros. 
"But  first,  my  friend,"  he  said  warmly,  offering  his 
hand  to  Ferguson,  "  I  want  to  tell  you  that  you  have 
saved  our  lives.  Another  minute  and  all  those  rep 
tiles  would  have  been  in  here,  and  we  should  have 
been  massacred.  How  did  you  happen  to  see 
him  ? "  pointing  to  the  dead  savage,  lying  against 
the  brush  heap  — "  and  how  did  you  happen  to  act 
so  promptly  ?  " 

Ferguson's  cheeks  were  red  and  his  eyes  were 
snapping  in  a  manner  they  had,  when  he  was 
excited.  He  was  also  breathing  quickly. 

"  It  was  only  good  fortune  ;  that's  all,"  he  replied. 
"I  grew  tired  standing  stock  still  while  you  were 
loafing  in  the  shade,  and  to  amuse  myself  I  had 
lifted  my  rifle  to  my  shoulder  and  was  taking  aim 
around  at  different  objects.  I  suppose  that  while 
doing  this  I  neglected  to  watch  the  opening  as 
closely  as  I  should,  and  one  of  the  Indians  sneaked 
up  in  the  grass,  like  that  fellow  did  this  morning. 
But  it  happened  that  when  he  put  his  head  over 
the  rock,  I  was  aiming  at  a  spot  near  where  his 
black  hair  appeared  ;  so  all  I  had  to  do  was  to  pull 
the  trigger." 

They  all  congratulated  him  —  all,  including  Har 
vey,  who  had  picked  himself  up  and  was  rubbing  his 
head  where  a  lump  the  size  of  a  hickory  nut  testi 
fied  to  his  having  struck  against  a  stone  after  being 


ATTACKED   BY   CANNIBALS.  127 

given  momentum  by  the  wounded  savage  ;  then  they 
hastened  to  make  such  preparations  as  were  neces 
sary  before  the  attack  which  they  now  knew  must 
come. 

"  First,  let's  get  rid  of  this  body,"  said  the  cap 
tain,  and  taking  down  some  of  the  brush  at  the  rear, 
they  dragged  the  corpse  out  and  toward  the  river. 
Returning,  they  made  everything  snug  again,  and 
the  captain  disposed  of  the  forces  for  the  fray. 

"My  plan  of  reserving  the  fire  for  a  volley  has 
been  spoiled,"  he  said,  "  so  the  next  best  thing  will 
have  to  be  done.  Ferguson,  you're  a  splendid  shot. 
Do  you  think  that  with  a  boost  you  can  get  up  on 
the  rock,  in  about  the  place  where  your  friend,  the 
Majerona,  was  lying  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  guess  so,"  replied  the  American,  survey 
ing  the  steep  boulder. 

"  Then  it  would  be  well  for  you  to  do  so  and  com 
mence  picking  them  off  with  your  rifle  as  soon  as 
they  come  in  sight.  We  have  only  two  openings 
down  here  that  command  their  approach,  and  there 
won't  be  an  opportunity  for  us  all.  We  must  kill 
and  wound  as  many  as  possible  before  they  get  near. 
That's  our  only  hope." 

uWhat  am  I  going  to  do?"  asked  Harvey. 
"There  are  only  two  openings,  and  I  suppose  you 
and  Mr.  Hope- Jones  will  want  to  cover  those." 

"  You  can  alternate  with  me,  my  boy.     My  rifle, 


128  INCALAND. 

unfortunately,  is  a  muzzle-loader,  and  while  I  am 
ramming  in  a  charge  you  can  step  to  the  peep-hole 
and  use  your  shot-gun.  Of  course,"  he  continued, 
"  the  shot-guns  will  not  carry  as  far  as  the  rifles 
and  will  not  be  serviceable  as  soon,  but  we  have 
plenty  of  ammunition,  and  I  think  it  would  be  wise 
to  blaze  away  with  all  pieces  as  often  as  possible 
during  the  first  five  minutes  and  make  plenty 
of  noise."  Then  turning  to  Ferguson  again  he 
said  :  — 

"  Don't  stay  up  there  a  second  after  it  seems  dan 
gerous.  You  can  slide  down,  can  you  not,  without 
assistance  ?  " 

"Of  course." 

"How  many  cartridges  does  your  rifle  carry  in 
the  chamber  ?  " 

"Eight." 

"  Then  don't  take  any  more  with  you.  They  will 
be  sufficient  until  the  arrows  commence  to  fly,  and 
then  I  want  you  with  us  here.  That  reminds  me, 
I  told  Hope-Jones  and  Harvey  to  blaze  away, 
regardless  of  aim,  with  their  shot-guns  for  a  time, 
but  I  suppose  you  understand  the  same  does  not 
apply  to  the  rifles.  We  must  make  every  shot 
count." 

"  Never  fear  for  that.  Will  you  give  me  a  boost 
now,  sir?  They  will  be  coming  any  minute." 

"  Yes.     Help  me,  Hope-Jones.     Steady  me  a  bit," 


ATTACKED   BY   CANNIBALS.  129 

and  the  Peruvian  stood  upright  against  the  rock 
and  told  the  Englishman  to  press  against  his  back. 
"  Leave  your  rifle,  Ferguson,  and  we  will  pass  it  up 
to  you." 

By  stepping  on  a  stone  the  American  obtained  a 
foothold  on  the  senor's  shoulders,  then  reaching  up, 
he  caught  a  ledge  of  rock  and  bringing  into  practice 
an  exercise  he  had  learned  on  the  horizontal  bars, 
he  drew  himself  with  ease  to  the  ledge,  from  which 
he  scrambled  to  the  surface. 

"  Quick  !  "  he  exclaimed,  the  moment  he  looked 
around.  "  Pass  me  my  rifle.  They  are  coming  ! 
I  can  see  them  down  the  river  !  Gracious,  what  a 
band  of  them  !  " 

At  the  captain's  direction,  Harvey  jumped  on  his 
shoulders  as  Ferguson  had  done  and  passed  the  re 
peating  rifle  to  his  companion,  then  the  Peruvian 
and  the  Englishman  took  positions  at  the  peep-holes, 
while  the  lad  stood  back,  waiting. 

If  the  truth  be  told  his  heart  was  beating  like  it 
had  on  days  after  a  boat  race,  and  he  felt  the  blood 
surging  to  his  temples.  There  was  an  instant  after 
Ferguson  said  that  the  Indians  were  coming  that  he 
felt  dizzy.  But  it  passed  almost  as  soon  as  it  had 
come,  and  he  bit  his  lip  until  it  bled,  for  he  was 
angry  that  any  alarm  should  have  seized  him.  The 
moment  this  feeling  of  anger  came,  he  was  surprised 
to  note  that  his  heart  commenced  to  beat  normally, 


180  INCALAND. 

that  the  fever  left  his  cheeks,  and  that  he  became 
self-possessed.  And  from  that  moment  he  became 
as  cool  and  collected  as  any  one  in  the  little  fort. 

"  How  far  are  they  off  ? "  called  out  Seiior 
Cisneros. 

"  A  half  mile,  sir,"  answered  the  voice  from  above. 

"  Do  you  think  there  are  more  than  forty  ? " 

"  I  dare  say  not ;  but  they  seemed  to  number  two 
or  three  hundred  when  they  first  came  in  sight." 

"  I  counted  forty  when  I  reconnoitred  their  camp 
last  night,  and  they  must  have  all  been  within  the 
vicinity  of  the  fire,  for  there  would  have  been  no 
object  in  their  scattering  at  that  hour.  Therefore, 
with  two  dead  and  one  wounded  we  have  thirty- 
seven  to  fight.  How  are  they  coming?  In  a 
body  ?  " 

"Yes;  close  together;  all  in  a  bunch." 

"So  much  the  better." 

This  conversation  had  been  carried  on  in  loud 
tones,  that  Ferguson  might  hear  and  be  heard,  for 
he  was  lying  on  the  far  side  of  the  boulder.  It 
seemed  strange  to  speak  in  this  manner  after  the 
enforced  whispers  that  had  been  the  rule  for  twenty- 
four  hours. 

"  Now  I  can  see  them,"  said  the  captain,  and  he 
rested  his  rifle  on  the  ledge.  A  sharp  report 
sounded  above. 

"Did  you  bring  another  down?" 


ATTACKED    BY    CANNIBALS.  131 

"No,"  called  back  Ferguson.     "I  missed." 

"  You're  honest,  that's  sure.  Most  persons  would 
have  said  they  didn't  know,  but  thought  so.  Better 
reserve  your  fire  a  few  minutes." 

The  American  did  as  he  was  advised,  but  before 
any  of  them  below  had  an  opportunity  to  take  effec 
tive  aim,  his  rifle  spoke  again  and  the  captain  called : 
"  How  now  ?  " 

44 1  saw  a  copper-colored  rascal  whirl  'round  and 
'round  and  then  drop." 

"  Bravo  !     That  makes  thirty-six  !  " 

A  minute  later  the  Peruvian's  weapon  sounded, 
and  without  waiting  to  notice  the  result,  he  darted 
back  and  commenced  to  reload,  saying  :  — 

"  Now  blaze  away,  my  lad  !  "  and  Harve}^  rushed 
to  the  opening.  Hope-Jones  in  the  meantime  had 
discharged  one  barrel,  then  another,  of  his  shot-gun 
and  had  thrown  back  the  breech  to  press  in  fresh 
shells,  while  the  sharp  report  of  Ferguson's  rifle  came 
from  above,  once,  twice,  thrice,  and  the  American 
was  heard  to  call  above  the  din  :  — 

"  They're  getting  it  !  You  struck  one,  Cisneros, 
and  I  have  fetched  two  more." 

"  Thirty- three,"  said  the  Peruvian,  and  he  crowded 
Harvey  one  side  as  the  boy  was  loading  his  double- 
barrelled  gun,  and  taking  aim  once  more,  he  sent 
another  bullet  into  the  dark  throng  that  was  rapidly 
approaching,  for  the  Indians  were  running. 


132  INCALAND. 

After  that  there  was  no  opportunity  to  keep  count. 
Ferguson  came  sliding  down  from  his  altitudinous 
perch,  having  exhausted  all  the  cartridges  in  his 
rifle;  and  ejecting  the  worthless  shells,  he  loaded 
again,  then  stood  behind  Hope-Jones,  to  alternate 
with  him  at  the  peep-hole,  and  after  the  Englishman 
had  fired  both  barrels  point-blank,  the  American 
jumped  to  the  opening  and  pumped  eight  shots  in 
the  direction  of  the  enemy,  as  fast  as  the  mechanism 
of  the  modern  arm  would  work. 

Harvey,  the  while,  had  been  loading  with  feverish 
haste,  running  toward  his  peep-hole  the  moment  it 
was  left  by  the  Peruvian  and  discharging  his  Weapon. 
He  took  aim,  and  after  the  third  discharge,  he  saw  an 
Indian  fall,  evidently  from  shot  he  had  sent  speed 
ing,  for  the  man  was  somewhat  detached  from  the 
others  and  the  boy  had  tried  to  bring  him  down. 
The  little  enclosure  became  filled  with  smoke,  and 
their  faces  and  arms  were  streaked  with  dirt.  All 
were  more  or  less  powder-burned,  but  of  this  they 
did  not  know  till  afterwards. 

"  What  now  ?  "  suddenly  said  the  captain,  for  the 
Majeronas  had  halted.  "  They  are  bending  their 
bows  !  Watch  out,  all  !  Down  on  your  faces  !  " 

The  warning  was  not  a  second  too  soon.  Whis 
tling  like  a  wind  that  scurries  around  the  gable  of 
a  house  in  winter,  a  flight  of  arrows  poured  into  and 
over  the  little  fort,  and  others  could  be  heard  strik- 


ATTACKED   BY   CANNIBALS.  133 

ing  against  the  front  boulder.  Several  of  the  darts 
came  through  the  openings  and  rattled  against  the 
stones,  and  one  transfixed  Ferguson's  knapsack, 
which  was  in  a  corner. 

"  Now,  at  them  once  more  !  " 

And  the  men  and  boy  jumped  to  their  places  as 
before. 

The  target  was  not  nearly  so  good.  The  Indians 
had  separated  and  were  spreading  out.  They  could 
be  seen  running  in  different  directions,  evidently 
carrying  out  some  command  of  their  chief,  and  a  few 
minutes  later  a  dozen  commenced  climbing  trees, 
keeping  their  bodies  on  the  side  opposite  the  fort. 

"  This  is  different,"  exclaimed  the  sefior.  "  Pick 
off  all  you  can  while  you  have  the  opportunity,  for 
we  shall  soon  be  compelled  to  seek  shelter." 

The  guns  were  kept  busy  until  the  barrels  were  so 
hot  that  they  burned  the  hands,  but  only  one  Maje- 
rona  fell  —  a  bold  fellow  who  had  run  forward  of 
the  others,  and  whom  it  was  Harvey's  lot  to  make 
bite  the  dust,  at  which  the  captain  patted  the  boy  on 
the  shoulder  and  said  :  — 

"  I  wish  I  had  a  lad  like  you.  If  God  spares  me, 
I  am  going  to  make  it  my  business  to  tell  Senor 
Dartmoor  what  a  son  he  has." 

A  little  later  he  called,  "  Under  cover,  all  of  you  !  " 
and  they  darted  beneath  the  thick  mass  of  boughs 
that  he  had  placed  against  the  side  of  the  boulder. 


134  INCALAND. 

Then  they  knew  with  what  wisdom  he  had  con 
structed  this  protection,  for  arrows  commenced  to 
rain  into  the  enclosure  from  all  sides,  some  whistling 
low  over  the  boulders,  others  dropping  as  if  from 
the  skies.  They  came  with  such  force  that  those 
which  fell  without  stood  upright  in  the  ground,  and 
although  others  penetrated  the  protecting  branches, 
they  lost  their  force  and  none  of  the  defenders  of  the 
fort  was  harmed.  However,  as  a  further  protection, 
they  lay  flat  on  their  faces.  This  lasted  for  full  five 
minutes ;  then  there  was  a  lull,  and  Seiior  Cisneros, 
creeping  to  an  opening,  said  :  — 

"  They  are  forming  again.  No,  don't  fire,"  and  he 
restrained  Hope- Jones.  "  I  have  an  idea." 

"  What  is  it  ?  " 

"  If  we  withhold  our  fire,  they  will  think  we  are 
all  dead  or  so  grievously  wounded  as  not  to  be  able 
to  resist.  You  see,  they  don't  know  anything  about 
our  roof.  The  fellow  who  got  a  view  inside  was 
placed  in  a  position  where  he  could  not  relate  the 
result  of  his  observations.  Yes,  they  are  forming  in 
a  body  for  a  rush.  Now  wait,  everybody,  until  I 
give  the  word !  " 

He  darted  under  the  boughs  to  the  furthermost 
corner  and  at  once  reappeared  with  the  gourd 
which,  earlier  in  the  afternoon,  he  had  fashioned 
into  a  bomb. 

"  Who  has  a  match  ?  " 

Harvey  gave  him  some. 


x\ 


"  Angry  copper-colored  faces  showed  at  the  opening.'' 


ATTACKED   BY   CANNIBALS.  135 

"  Here,  Hope-Jones,  take  my  rifle  !  You  can  use 
it  and  your  shot-gun  as  well,  for  I  shall  be  busy 
with  this  thing.  Harvey,  don't  try  to  fire,  but  have 
your  gun  handy.  When  I  give  the  word,  pull  away 
as  fast  as  you  can  at  the  brush  in  the  opening  nearest 
the  Indians,  so  that  I  may  have  room  in  which  to 
throw." 

These  directions  were  no  sooner  given  than  the 
band  of  Majeronas,  yelling,  sprang  toward  the  stone 
fort.  The  four  defenders  bent  clown  low,  that  they 
might  not  be  seen.  The  Indians  ran  with  great 
speed,  brandishing  bludgeons  ;  they  had  cast  their 
bows  one  side,  evidently  believing  the  victory 
won.  Seflor  Cisneros  let  them  come  to  within  a 
stone's  throw,  then  he  called  :  — 

"  Now  let  drive  !  "  and  Ferguson  and  Hope-Jones, 
jumping  to  the  opening,  discharged  three  shots  sim 
ultaneously,  and  the  repeating-rifle  of  the  former 
was  worked  as  it  never  had  been  worked  before. 

"  Pull  down  the  brush  !  Use  both  hands  !  Quick 
now  !  " 

Harvey  sprang  to  his  task  and  tore  away  the  small 
branches.  The  crackle  of  a  match  was  heard,  and, 
just  as  angr}^,  copper-colored  faces  showed  at  the 
opening,  the  captain  called  out :  — 

"  Duck  down,  everybody  !  " 

The  next  instant  a  report  as  of  a  cannon  was 
heard,  followed  by  screeches  and  howls  ;  and  a 
cloud  of  white  smoke  drifted  away  before  a  light 


136  INC  ALAND. 

breeze  that  had  sprung  up,  while  a  crackle  as  of 
giant  fire-crackers  told  of  the  exploding  cartridges 
with  which  the  gourd  had  been  loaded. 

"  Out  and  after  them  !  "  screamed  the  senor,  seiz 
ing  his  rifle  and  pushing  his  way  through  the  open 
ing,  in  which  act  he  was  followed  by  the  three 
companions. 

But  they  met  none  in  combat.  The  Indians  were 
fleeing,  running  in  a  confused  mass  along  the  river 
bank,  shrieking  in  their  fear.  Two  or  three  picked 
up  their  bows  as  they  sped,  and  turning,  let  fly  each 
an  arrow,  then  joined  the  others  ;  but  the  majority 
never  turned.  The  defenders  of  the  little  fort  fol 
lowed  for  several  hundred  yards,  firing  as  they  went, 
not  in  endeavor  to  kill  more,  for  they  did  not  stop 
to  take  aim,  but  to  spread  the  alarm  ;  until  at  last 
loss  of  breath  caused  a  halt.  But  the  Majeronas, 
greatly  reduced  in  numbers,  kept  on,  their  howls 
growing  fainter  and  fainter,  until  they  were  heard 
no  more,  and  the  last  of  the  savages  disappeared 
down  the  river. 

"Do  you  think  they  will  come  back?"  panted 
Hope-Jones. 

"No.  They  believe  they  attacked  a  band  of 
devils.  There  is  no  longer  danger." 

"  Where's  Harvey  ?  "    It  was  Ferguson  who  asked. 

They  looked  around,  and  their  cheeks  blanched. 
The  boy  was  not  with  them. 


CHAPTER  X. 

NEAR  TO  DEATH'S  DOOR. 

FOR  a  minute  none  of  the  three  said  a  word,  then 
Sefior  Cisneros  suggested  that  perhaps  the  lad 
had  remained  behind. 

"  No.  That's  not  his  way.  He  would  be  with  us 
unless  hurt,  or " 

Hope-Jones  could  not  find  the  word  for  the  alter 
native  ;  his  voice  choked.  "  Let's  hurry  back,"  he 
added. 

They  did  so,  going  as  fast  as  when  in  pursuit  of 
the  enemy,  and  not  stopping  until  they  had  reached 
the  fort.  Outside  they  saw  their  boy  companion 
lying  beside  a  large  stone  not  a  hundred  yards  from 
the  opening.  An  arrow  was  fastened  in  his  breast. 

Hope-Jones  dropped  on  his  knees.  Ferguson 
reached  over  to  pull  out  the  arrow,  but  was  re 
strained  by  the  captain. 

"  Don't,"  he  said.  "  It  might  cause  a  fatal  hemor 
rhage  if  there  is  not  one  already.  Wait  until  we 
see  how  far  it  has  entered;"  and  he  commenced 

137 


138  INCALAND. 

unfastening  Harvey's  coat,  which  had  been  buttoned 
close,  that  it  might  not  impede  his  action. 

"I  fear  it  has  reached  his  heart,"  said  the  Eng 
lishman,  in  a  whisper.  "  See,  it  penetrated  the  left 
side." 

"  His  hands  are  cold,"  Ferguson  added.  "  I  cannot 
feel  the  pulse." 

All  three  were  quite  pale  and  were  trembling.  It 
seemed  probable  that  life  had  left  the  boy's  body. 

"  Bring  some  water,  quickly,"  said  the  captain. 
"I  will  do  the  best  I  can." 

Ferguson  darted  off  to  the  fort  and  returned  at 
once  with  the  skin  bag  filled. 

"  Help  me  turn  him  over.  There,  that's  right ; 
not  too  much,"  and  the  captain  loosened  another 
button,  then  carefully  inserted  his  hand  beneath  the 
coat.  He  felt  in  the  region  where  the  arrow  had 
penetrated,  and  touching  the  shaft  moved  his  fingers 
cautiously  downward.  Then  a  puzzled  expression 
came  over  his  face,  and  he  muttered :  "  Something 
hard.  I  don't  quite  understand.  There  isn't  any 
blood." 

He  withdrew  his  hand,  looked  at  it,  then  inserted 
it  again  and  caught  the  shaft  firmly.  The  dart 
turned  to  one  side,  but  did  not  come  out.  The  cap 
tain  jumped  to  his  feet. 

"  That  arrow  isn't  in  Harvey's  body !  "  he  ex 
claimed.  "  It's  fast  in  something  that  he  has  in  the 


NEAR  TO  DEATH'S  DOOR.  139 

pocket  of  his  flannel  shirt.  He's  fainted;  got  a 
knock  on  his  head  or  something.  Throw  some 
water  on  his  face !  " 

Ferguson  did  as  directed,  and  Harvey  immediately 
sat  upright,  then  began  pawing  the  air,  as  if  warding 
off  a  blow,  and  tried  to  rise  to  his  feet.  Desisting 
suddenly  from  this  effort  he  exclaimed  :  "  What's  all 
the  rumpus  about  ?  And  —  and  —  where  are  the 
Majeronas?" 

Ferguson  and  Hope- Jones  were  too  overjoyed  to 
speak.  They  clapped  the  boy  on  the  back,  rubbed 
his  arms,  and  asked  him  where  he  was  hurt.  For 
reply  he  put  his  hand  to  his  head,  and  they  found 
there  another  lump. 

"I  stumbled,  I  guess,  and  struck  my  head,"  he 
said .  "  I  can  remember  falling,  and  I  saw  a  lot  of 
stars  and  —  but  say,  where  are  the  savages  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  and  when  you  were  falling,  this  was  shot 
into  you."  The  captain  pointed  to  the  arrow,  which 
was  drooping,  but  still  was  held  firmly. 

Harvey  looked  at  it  in  surprise,  then  reached 
under  his  coat.  As  he  touched  the  shaft  his  cheeks 
turned  a  fiery  red.  He  endeavored  to  withdraw  the 
dart  by  pulling  at  it  from  the  outside,  but  it  would 
not  come,  so  Ferguson  bent  down  and  helped  him 
unfasten  the  remaining  buttons  of  his  coat  and  re 
move  the  garment.  But  even  with  the  weight  of 
that  on  the  shaft,  the  arrow  held  firmly  to  the  some- 


140  INCALAND. 

thing  that  was  in  Harvey's  pocket,  and  he  was  at 
last  compelled  to  cut  the  flannel.  Then  all  saw  that 
the  point  was  embedded  firmly  in  a  pincushion,  no 
larger  than  a  plum,  a  pincushion  well  stuffed  with 
cotton  and  which  had  barred  the  way  to  the  boy's 
heart. 

"  How  on  earth  did  you  happen  to  be  carrying- 
such  a  thing  in  your  pocket  ?  "  asked  Hope-Jones. 

He  did  not  answer.  He  was  looking  at  the  little 
article,  and  his  face  turned  pale  as  he  thought  of  his 
narrow  escape  from  death  ;  and  at  the  same  time  he 
thought  of  those  he  had  left  behind  and  of  the  giver 
of  that  which  had  so  strangely  saved  his  life,  Seno- 
rita  Bella  Caceras,  niece  of  the  famous  Captain  Grau, 
who,  the  evening  before  the  departure  of  the  three 
from  Callao,  had  made  this  little  present  to  the  lad, 
that  he  might  have  some  token  to  carry  with  him 
into  the  wilds  of  Peru.  Thus  a  girl's  thoughtful 
gift  and  a  boy's  romantic  manner  of  carrying  the 
keepsake  had  resulted  in  the  arrest  of  a  Majerona 
arrow,  aimed  at  the  heart. 

He  did  not  explain  all  this  to  his  companions,  who 
pressed  closer,  congratulating  him  and  patting  him 
on  the  back,  for  every  moment  they  realized  more 
and  more  what  a  narrow  escape  he  had  had  ;  no,  he 
kept  his  secret  and  later  he  sewed  up  the  pocket, 
replaced  the  little  pincushion,  and  vowed  that  he 
would  carry  it  with  him  so  long  as  he  lived.  He 


NEAR  TO  DEATH'S  DOOR.  141 

also  saved  the  arrow,  so  that  when  he  returned  to 
Callao  he  could  present  it  to  the  senorita. 

The  men  attempted  to  assist  him  into  the  fort,  but 
Harvey  protested  that  he  was  as  well  and  as  able  to 
be  about  as  ever  in  his  life. 

"  Then  let's  start  for  the  white  rock,"  said  Fergu 
son. 

"  No,  indeed,"  was  Senor  Cisneros's  rejoinder.  "  I 
for  one  favor  a  good  rest." 

"  Perhaps  that  would  be  a  better  plan." 

"  Indeed  it  would,"  assented  Hope-Jones.  "  I 
confess  that  I  am  played  out." 

"  First,  let's  give  these  bodies  some  sort  of  burial," 
said  the  Peruvian,  and  he  pointed  to  the  corpses 
that  were  strewn  over  the  ground. 

They  dug  a  trench  with  their  picks,  and  gather 
ing  the  dead  Majeronas  from  near  the  fort  and  from 
several  hundred  yards  away,  they  placed  them  in 
the  shallow  opening  and  covered  them  with  earth. 
Fourteen  were  thus  interred.  How  many  savages 
had  been  wounded  they  never  knew.  A  few  of 
those  who  had  been  struck  by  bullets  and  not  killed 
during  the  battle,  had  been  helped  away  by  their 
comrades  ;  others,  who  were  mortally  wounded,  had 
been  killed,  as  was  the  custom  of  the  tribe. 


CHAPTER   XI. 

BEYOND   THE   WHITE   KOCK. 

THE  grewsome  work  of  burial  completed,  they 
reentered  the  little  fort  and  made  preparations 
for  the  night.  First,  they  went  to  the  river  bank 
and  enjoyed  a  bath  in  the  cool,  crystal  waters  ;  and 
there  for  the  first  time  they  discovered  many  bruises 
on  their  bodies,  caused  by  bumps  and  knocks  received 
during  the  quick  action  of  the  afternoon. 

Ferguson  had  scraped  one  of  his  shins  while  slid 
ing  down  the  rock  after  emptying  his  rifle  at  the 
approaching  Majeronas,  and  the  cut  on  his  left  hand 
pained  him  greatly.  Hope-Jones  found  a  black  and 
blue  spot  on  his  right  shoulder,  which  he  could  not 
account  for  until  he  remembered  that  in  his  excite 
ment  he  had  several  times  neglected  to  press  his  shot 
gun  close  when  firing  ;  and  a  little  later  he  discovered 
that  the  lobe  of  his  right  ear  was  torn. 

"  An  arrow  struck  there,"  said  the  captain,  after 
examining  the  wound.  "You  had  as  narrow  an 
escape  as  had  Harvey." 

Then  the  captain  looked  at  his  own  physical  condi- 

142 


BEYOND    THE   WHITE    ROCK.  143 

tion  and  reported  that  the  tendons  of  his  left  ankle 
had  been  strained,  and  that  a  long  powder  burn  on 
his  right  cheek  marked  where  a  flash  had  sprung 
upward  from  an  imperfect  cap  on  his  old-fashioned 
rifle.  4 

But  of  them  all  Harvey  showed  more  marks  of 
battle.  A  very  painful  black  and  blue  spot  on  his 
side  told  where  the  foot  of  the  Majerona  had  struck 
him  after  the  drop  from  the  rock,  and  two  bruises  on 
the  back  of  the  head  marked  his  contact  with  stones 
on  the  occasions  of  his  falling.  His  hands  were 
scratched  and  torn  in  several  places,  but  he  could  not 
tell  how  these  minor  wounds  had  been  received  until 
the  captain  remarked  that  he  had  never  seen  a  brush- 
heap  disappear  so  rapidly  as  when  the  boy  pulled 
away  branches  from  the  opening,  to  make  room  for 
the  bomb  ;  and  then  the  lad  recalled  that  at  the  time 
he  had  felt  the  sharp  prick  of  thorns. 

Although  they  were  refreshed  after  the  bath,  they 
limped  more  or  less  on  their  return  to  camp. 

"  Is  that  due  to  the  fact  that  we  have  just  seen 
where  we  have  been  hurt  ?  " 

"  Partly  that  and  partly  because  the  excitement  is 
over,"  said  the  captain. 

"  It  will  be  good  to  have  a  hot  supper,"  the  elder 
American  remarked,  changing  the  subject ;  "  but  I'll 
be  switched  if  I  feel  much  like  making  a  fire  and 
cooking." 


144  INCALAND. 

u  What  have  we  to  cook,  anyway  ?  There's  not  a 
bit  of  fresh  meat  in  the  camp,  and  I'd  rather  go  to 
bed  hungry  than  hunt  for  anything,"  interposed 
Harvey. 

"  Go  to  bed  ?  "  queried  Hope-Jones. 

"  Well,  turn  in,  lie  down,  go  to  sleep,  or  whatever 
you  call  it ;  but  it's  going  to  be  '  go  to  bed  '  for  me, 
because  I  shall  pile  up  some  of  that  dried  moss  over 
there  and  make  a  couch." 

"  A  good  idea,"  said  the  senor.  "  We  will  all  do 
it.  As  for  supper,  I  for  one  propose  to  eat  my  last 
ration  of  dried  meat  and  not  try  for  any  game  to 
night." 

The  others  did  not  demur,  and  although  the  sun 
was  not  yet  set,  they  proceeded  to  bring  in  the  moss 
and  distribute  it  under  the  boughs  that  had  sheltered 
them  from  dropping  arrows.  But  as  the  three  adven 
turers  from  Callao  were  spreading  their  blankets  and 
kicking  off  their  shoes,  Seiior  Cisneros  interrupted  them 
with,  "  Not  so  fast  there  !  What  about  a  watch  ?  " 

"  A  watch  to-night  ?     Is  one  necessary  ?  " 

"  Certainly,  and  every  night,  so  long  as  we  are  in 
this  region.  The  Majeronas  are  probably  gone  for 
good,  but  some  of  them  might  return.  Yes,  sirs,  we 
will  take  our  turns,  above  and  below,  as  they  say  on 
shipboard." 

"  Who  first  ?  "  asked  Hope- Jones. 

"  Suppose  we  draw  lots.     Better  still,  let  Harvey 


BEYOND   THE   WHITE   BOCK.  145 

choose  which  watch  he  will  stand,  as  he  is  the  one 
most  used  up,  and  we  men  will  draw  straws  I " 

Harvey  decided  that  he  would  prefer  to  be  senti 
nel  from  six  till  eight  o'clock,  then  have  a  night's 
rest  through,  so  the  others  lay  down  under  the 
shelter,  and  he  stationed  himself  in  the  opening,  near 
the  river,  with  Ferguson's  rifle  in  hand. 

A  heavy  rain  fell  on  the  following  day,  and  they 
were  only  too  glad  to  remain  under  the  shelter  of 
the  boughs  which,  reenforced  with  the  canvas  of  the 
shelter-tent,  made  an  almost  perfect  watershed. 
Harvey  was  somewhat  feverish  in  the  morning,  and 
the  others  felt  even  more  wearied  than  on  the  night 
before,  so  all  were  rather  pleased  than  vexed  that 
the  elements  had  conspired  to  delay  their  journey. 

Lest  the  younger  member  of  the  party  should  fall 
ill,  Seiior  Cisneros  early  set  about  administering  the 
remedies  which  were  at  hand,  the  first  of  which  was 
quinine,  and  he  gave  Harvey  ten  grains.  Then, 
believing  that  a  hot  foot-bath  would  prove  beneficial, 
he  cast  about  for  a  utensil  that  could  be  improvised 
as  a  tub,  and  finding  none,  he  dug  a  hole,  two  feet 
deep  and  about  two  feet  square,  into  which  he 
poured  water  heated  by  Hope-Jones  over  a  brisk  fire 
built  in  a  corner  of  the  fort,  where  a  ledge  of  rock 
sheltered  the  crackling  wood  from  the  rain.  This 
novel  bath  was  at  the  edge  of  the  lean-to  of  boughs, 
and  when  Harvey,  following  the  captain's  directions, 


146  INCALAND. 

plunged  his  lower  limbs  into  it,  raindrops  fell  on 
his  knees,  but  these  and  his  body  to  the  waist  were 
covered  with  moss,  and  the  lad  was  compelled  to 
stay  in  that  posture  for  ten  minutes  and  "steam," 
while  the  captain  added  hot  water  until  the  patient 
yelled  out  that  he  was  being  scalded. 

"  I  dare  say  you  think  you  are,"  said  the  Peruvian, 
as  he  desisted,  ubut  I  can  bear  my  hand  in  here." 

Notwithstanding  a  demonstration  to  this  effect, 
Harvey  protested  against  the  temperature  being  in 
creased,  and  at  last  was  permitted  again  to  roll  over 
on  his  moss  couch,  where,  covered  with  blankets,  he 
soon  fell  asleep. 

It  was  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  when  he 
awakened.  The  fever  had  passed,  the  aches  had 
disappeared  from  the  muscles,  and  he  said  that  he 
felt  somewhat  better,  though  a  trifle  weak.  To 
prove  there  was  at  hand  a  remedy  for  this  condition, 
Seiior  Cisneros  pointed  to  Ferguson,  who  was  busy 
in  the  far  corner,  turning  'round  and  'round,  over 
the  glowing  heat  of  embers,  the  ramrod  of  the  cap 
tain's  rifle,  on  which  were  spitted  a  dozen  little 
birds  ;  and  from  the  broilers  came  a  savory  odor  that 
caused  Harvey  to  smack  his  lips  in  expectation. 

"  They  are  plovers,"  said  the  senor.  "  Hope- Jones 
went  out  about  ten  o'clock  to  find  you  a  delicacy, 
and  he  succeeded  in  bagging  enough  for  us  all." 

The  wild  birds,  reenforced  by  one  of  the  captain's 


BEYOND    THE   WHITE   BOCK.  147 

palm-shoot  vegetables,  furnished  a  most  edible  re 
past,  and  it  was  not  long  thereafter  before  Hope- 
Jones,  Ferguson,  and  the  youngest  member  of  the 
party  turned  in,  the  captain  taking  the  first  watch. 

When  Harvey  awoke  in  the  morning,  he  reported 
himself  fit  for  any  task,  and  the  others,  having  re 
covered  from  strains  and  bruises,  agreed  to  start  as 
soon  after  breakfast  as  the  packing  of  the  camp 
equipment  would  permit.  Before  the  departure, 
Senor  Cisneros  fastened  a  pole  firmly  between  two 
of  the  rocks  and  attached  thereto  a  handkerchief. 

"  It's  possible,  though  not  probable,  that  hostile 
Indians  may  appear  again,"  he  said.  "  In  that  event 
it  would  be  well  for  us  to  retreat  to  this  position, 
which  is  naturally  fitted  for  defence,  and  which  we 
have  rendered  even  more  impregnable.  As  the 
boulders  do  not  show  their  peculiar  form  from  down 
stream,  we  might  pass  the  place  by  in  our  haste  to 
seek  shelter,  but  with  that  flagstaff  set  I  don't  be 
lieve  we  could  miss  it." 

"Hadn't  we  better  give  our  little  fort  a  name?" 
asked  Harvey. 

"To  be  sure  we  had,"  said  Ferguson.  "Victory 
do?" 

"I  would  suggest  Majerona  Hill,"  said  Hope- 
Jones. 

"Would  not  Fort  Pincushion  be  more  appropri 
ate  ?  "  asked  the  captain. 


148  INCALAND. 

"  Capital  !  Capital  !  "  exclaimed  the  two  men, 
and  the  boy  blushed  as  he  had  done  on  the  occasion 
when  he  felt  the  object  in  his  pocket  which  had  been 
pierced  by  the  arrow. 

Although  the  white  rock,  which  had  been  their 
goal  since  leaving  Callao,  had  seemed  only  a  short 
distance  from  the  fort,  yet  they  were  nearly  half 
an  hour  reaching  a  point  beneath  its  strange  for 
mation,  and  all  four  expressed  astonishment  at  the 
brilliant,  pearly  white  lustre.  Ferguson  was  the 
first  to  touch  the  stone,  and  in  passing  his  hand 
over  the  surface,  he  noticed  that  his  finger  nail  left 
a  mark. 

"  My,  how  soft  it  is  !  Almost  as  soft  as  soap- 
stone  !  Can  you  tell  us,  Mr.  Geologist,  what  man 
ner  of  outcropping  the  Earth  has  given  us  here  ?  " 

Harvey,  thus  appealed  to,  took  from  his  knapsack 
the  little  hammer  which  he  had  brought  for  such 
purpose,  and  knocking  off  a  fragment,  he  examined 
it  critically,  then  said  :  — 

"  It  looks  very  much  like  alabaster." 

"  Alabaster  in  these  regions  ?  " 

"  Yes,  and  it  is  not  unusual.  The  stone  is  found 
near  Cuzco,  and  it  abounds  in  the  Cordilleras  of 
Chile.  To  be  sure,  the  best  quality  comes  from  Tus 
cany,  but  excellent  specimens  abound  in  this  inte 
rior  region,  and  we  have  found  an  unusually  large 
deposit." 


BEYOND   THE    WHITE   ROCK.  149 

"  It  seems  to  me  that  I  perceive  a  faint  odor  of 
lime,"  said  Hope-Jones. 

"Then  I  am  correct  in  saying  that  this  is  ala 
baster,"  the  boy  answered  ;  "  for  alabaster  is  a 
compact  variety  of  sulphate  of  lime." 

"  Now  for  the  mine  !  "  exclaimed  Ferguson,  and 
they  at  once  turned  from  the  shaft  and  made  ready 
to  continue  the  journey. 

"  Old  Huayno  directed  you  to  proceed  farther 
north  for  a  half  mile,  until  you  should  see  another 
white  rock,  did  he  not  ?  "  asked  the  captain. 

"Yes." 

"Then  put  your  compass  on  something  level, 
Hope-Jones,  and  give  us  the  bearings." 

The  Englishman  did  so,  and  the  needle  pointed  in  a 
direction  that  took  them  away  from  the  stream,  into 
the  light  growth  of  woods.  They  tightened  their  belts 
and  started,  pushing  forward  rapidly  and  eagerly. 
Months  afterward  Harvey  said  that  no  stage  or  event 
of  the  journey,  not  even  the  encounter  with  the  sav 
ages,  was  so  firmly  impressed  on  his  mind  as  was  this 
period  after  they  swung  to  the  left  from  the  bank  of 
the  river  Maranon. 

"  I  had  a  stuffy  feeling,"  he  explained ;  "  all 
choked  up,  and  didn't  know  whether  I  should  cry 
like  a  baby  when  I  reached  the  mine,  or  shout  like  a 
man.  I  thought  all  the  time  of  mother,  father, 
Rosita,  and  Louis,  of  what  riches  would  do  for  them. 


150  INCALAND. 

Yes,  to  be  sure,  I  thought  of  myself  as  well,  but  to 
tell  the  honest  truth,  it  was  not  so  much  with  the 
idea  of  having  great  riches  at  hand,  as  it  was  to  be 
able  to  purchase  some  books  that  I  wanted,  and  a 
sail-boat." 

These  thoughts  of  the  boy  were  shared  in  their 
intensity  by  the  other  members  of  the  party.  Hope- 
Jones  had  left  an  aged  mother  in  England,  who, 
though  not  in  want,  would  be  none  the  less  a  sharer 
in  any  good  fortune  that  might  come  to  her  son  ; 
Ferguson  built  air-castles  for  his  sister,  who  was 
studying  music  in  Boston,  and  who  had  written  him 
only  by  the  last  mail  that  she  would  be  perfectly 
happy,  could  she  but  go  abroad.  As  for  the  captain, 
he  had  long  wished  that  six  months  might  be  passed 
in  Lima  and  the  remaining  period  of  the  year  in  their 
home  in  Huari.  Thus  busied  they  said  little  or 
nothing  during  the  first  ten  minutes  after  leav 
ing  the  Maranon,  but  kept  on  diligently,  making 
as  much  speed  as  was  possible  over  the  rough 
country. 

Their  speculating  reveries  were  interrupted  by  the 
captain,  who  called  a  halt  for  a  conference. 

"Your  old  Indian  friend  said  something  about 
trees  having  been  felled  across  the  path  from  the 
river  to  the  mine,  did  he  not  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  Then  it  is  about  time  for  us  to  meet  with  them 


BEYOND    THE    WHITE    ROCK.  151 

in  quantity.  There  are  a  few  here  and  there,  but 
not  enough  as  yet  to  indicate  that  we  have  reached 
the  region  where  the  Ayulis  placed  obstructions. 
Another  matter  to  consider  is  that  a  white  rock  here 
abouts,  although  the  timber  is  sparse,  would  not  be 
so  readily  seen  as  the  pile  of  alabaster  on  the  river 
bank.  And  again,  it  must  be  remembered  that  the 
Ayulis  did  not  use  a  compass  in  determining  the 
course  of  their  journeys  ;  they  judged  such  a  direc 
tion  to  be  north,  and  another  south,  by  the  relative 
bearing  of  the  sun.  Therefore,  although  Huayno 
said  to  go  north  from  the  river,  yet  his  '  north '  might 
have  been  northeast  or  northwest." 

"  What  then  do  you  propose  to  do,  sir  ?  " 
"  I  believe  it  would  be  wise  to  spread  out.  You, 
Hope-Jones  and  Harvey,  walk  over  to  the  right 
until  you  are  within  easy  calling  distance  of  one 
another,  and  Ferguson  and  I  will  do  the  same  on 
the  left.  We  will  then  move  forward  in  a  fan-shape 
and  cover  the  country  closely,  watching  out  for  a 
white  rock  and  for  fallen  trees  that  seem  to  have 
been  felled  systematically.  Everybody  move  slowly," 
he  added.  "  About  like  this,"  and  he  took  several 
paces,  to  give  them  an  example. 

Fifteen  minutes  later  not  one  was  in  sight  of  the 
other,  and  then  they  commenced  the  slow  forward 
journey,  "beating  the  country,"  one  might  say,  not 
for  animals  or  birds,  but  for  signs  that  a  century 


152  INCALAND. 

before  had  marked  for  the  aborigines  of    Peru  the 
place  where  great  treasure  lay  buried. 

Harvey,  between  the  captain  and  Hope-Jones, 
could  hear  the  swish  of  the  latter's  walking-stick  as 
he  cut  the  plants  through  which  he  moved,  but  not 
a  sound  came  from  his  left.  Occasionally  a  little 
animal  darted  from  a  decayed  log  ;  or,  with  a  whir, 
a  bird,  startled  from  the  undergrowth,  would  fly 
ahead,  slanting  upwards.  But  he  saw  nothing  else. 
The  trees  were  not  much  nearer  together  than  in  an 
orchard.  Of  course  they  were  large  of  trunk  and 
branch,  and  the  shade  was  almost  continual.  Here 
and  there  one  had  fallen,  but  the  boy  saw  no  signs 
of  a  number  having  been  felled  by  man.  After 
fifteen  minutes  had  passed  he  heard  Hope-Jones 
call :  "  Anything  in  sight,  Harvey  ?  " 

"  Nothing."  Then  he  repeated  the  question,  turn 
ing  to  the  left. 

"Not  a  sight  that  is  cheering,  my  boy,"  was  the 
captain's  answer. 

The  Peruvian's  voice  was  quite  indistinct,  and 
Harvey,  believing  he  had  borne  too  far  to  the  right, 
altered  his  direction  somewhat.  Then  time  com 
menced  to  hang  heavy,  and  the  minutes  dragged 
like  hours  as  he  moved  on,  but  ahead  he  saw  an 
interminable  succession  of  giant  trees,  interspersed 
here  and  there  with  immense  heliotrope  bushes,  but 
never  a  rock  of  prominence  or  a  number  of  trees 


BEYOND   THE   WHITE   BOCK.  153 

felled  as  if  to  offer  a  bar  to  progress.  Finally  there 
came  a  call  that  set  his  blood  tingling. 

"  Come  on,  Harvey,  and  bring  Hope- Jones  with 
you  !  "  shouted  the  captain. 

The  lad  repeated  the  cheerful  words,  and  soon  the 
crackling  of  underbrush  announced  the  approach  of 
the  Englishman,  who,  panting  from  his  exertions, 
joined  the  boy,  and  then  the  two  made  equal  haste  to 
the  side  of  the  Peruvian,  who  guided  them  by  fre 
quent  shouts. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  both  asked. 

"  Ferguson  has  seen  something  and  is  waiting," 
he  answered,  then  called  out  :  "  Give  us  a  word, 
over  there  !  " 

A  shout  came  in  reply,  and  going  in  the  direction 
of  the  sound,  the  three  made  the  most  haste  possible. 

They  found  the  elder  American  standing  near  a 
mass  that  resembled  a  mound,  and  in  every  direction 
ahead  of  him  were  similar  curious  shapes. 

"  Don't  you  think  these  have  been  formed  by  heaps 
of  fallen  trees,  covered  in  time  with  vegetation  ? " 
he  inquired. 

"  You  may  be  right.  Here,  lend  me  your  pick 
axe,  Hope-Jones ; "  and  taking  the  tool  the  captain 
commenced  vigorously  to  make  an  opening.  The 
mound  yielded  beneath  the  blows  and  proved  to  be 
little  more  than  a  mass  of  foliage  supported  by  soil 
that  had  been  formed  of  dead  timber.  Within  were 


INCALAND. 

gray,  shrivelled  pieces  of  wood,  some  of  which  Harvey 
drew  forth  and  eagerly  examined. 

"  Yes,"  he  exclaimed,  "  these  are  pieces  of  trees, 
almost  fossilized." 

"  Then  we  are  in  the  right  path,"  said  Hope- Jones. 
"  But  where  is  the  white  rock  ?  " 

"  That  remains  to  be  found.  Let's  push  onward," 
said  the  captain. 

As  all  the  mounds  seemed  to  be  within  reach  of 
the  eye  on  both  sides,  and  to  extend  in  a  line  straight 
ahead,  they  continued  their  way  together  and 
travelled  through  the  strange  land  that  spoke  of  the 
Ayulis'  anger  and  the  efforts  of  the  aborigines  to 
prevent  their  treasure  falling  into  the  intruders' 
hands. 

Captain  Cisneros  remarked  that  the  trees  were 
not  so  tall  as  those  they  had  left  behind,  which,  he 
said,  was  conclusive  evidence  that  the  primeval 
growth  had  been  cut  down,  and  that  this  thin  forest 
had  sprung  into  being  since  that  day.  It  was 
noticed  that  the  ground  sloped  somewhat  from  both 
right  and  left ;  they  were,  in  fact,  in  a  little  valley, 
through  which,  as  Ferguson  remarked,  a  stream  once 
flowed  and  probably  still  flowed  during  the  rainy 
season. 

For  nearly  fifteen  minutes  they  kept  on,  and  then 
as  suddenly  as  the  mounds  had  commenced,  they 
came  to  an  end,  and  beyond  them  the  trees  were  of 


BEYOND   THE   WHITE  EOCK.  155 

ancient  growth  once  more.  They  looked  at  one 
another  quizzically,  as  if  to  say  :  "  We  have  passed 
the  obstructions.  Where  is  the  white  rock  that 
marks  the  mine  ?  " 

"  We've  missed  it  somehow,"  said  the  captain. 
"  Perhaps  it's  to  the  right,  or  the  left.  Hope-Jones, 
you  and  Harvey  go  around  the  mounds  on  one  side, 
and  Ferguson  and  I  will  go  on  the  other." 

They  separated,  as  proposed,  and  carefully  sur 
veyed  the  country  for  the  landmark  which  meant 
fortunes  to  them.  The  two  parties  were  an  hour 
making  the  detour,  and  when  they  met  again  at  the 
point  where  Ferguson  had  first  called  their  attention 
to  the  curious  earth  formations,  neither  had  any 
encouraging  report  to  make.  All  were  puzzled. 
What  could  it  mean  ?  Had  old  Huayno  hoaxed 
them,  and  thus  vented  his  wrath  against  white  men  ? 
The  captain  asked  this  question  and  was  assured  by 
both  Hope-Jones  and  Ferguson  that  they,  who  had 
known  the  old  Indian,  could  not  entertain  the 
thought  for  a  minute.  Could  he  have  been  mis 
taken  concerning  the  location  of  the  second  white 
rock  ?  That  was  possible,  but  where  could  they 
search  for  it,  if  not  among  these  mounds  ?  Huayno's 
estimate  of  distances  had  proved  different  from 
theirs  ;  still  the  general  direction  had  been  correct, 
and  they  had  found  all  the  landmarks  that  he  had 
named  —  all  save  the  last  and  the  most  important. 


156  INCALAND. 

While  discussing  what  had  better  be  done,  they 
unstrapped  their  knapsacks  and  ate  the  noonday 
meal,  for  the  morning  had  passed.  This  done,  the 
captain  said  that  he  would  keep  on  some  distance  in 
the  general  direction  they  had  followed  since  leaving 
the  river,  and  while  he  was  gone  the  others  could 
explore  the  mound  region  more  thoroughly. 

It  was  four  o'clock  when  they  met  again,  weary 
and  discouraged,  for  not  one  had  seen  aught  that  led 
him  to  believe  they  had  located  the  mine. 

"  I  thought  I  had  the  rock  in  sight  once,  boys, 
but  it  turned  out  to  be  a  tree  with  white  blossoms," 
said  the  captain. 

As  the  shades  were  lengthening  in  the  woods,  the 
explorers  turned  back  to  the  river,  and  once  arrived 
at  the  white  rock  on  the  bank,  they  decided  to  camp 
there  for  the  night  and  not  walk  to  Fort  Pincush 
ion.  So  they  pitched  the  shelter-tent,  built  a  fire 
and  cooked  some  game  which  they  had  killed  on  the 
return  trip.  Then,  after  arranging  for  the  watch, 
those  who  could  "  turn  in  "  went  to  sleep  immedi 
ately,  for  their  brains  were  fatigued  by  the  disap 
pointment,  even  as  their  bodies  were  by  the  physical 
exertion. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

HARVEY   AS   A   SENTRY. 

HARVEY  was  called  at  two  o'clock  in  the  morn 
ing,  arid  he  posted  himself  as  sentinel  under  a 
small  tree  that  grew  near  the  shelter-tent.  He  had 
become  somewhat  accustomed  to  being  rudely  awak 
ened  and  to  being  alone  while  the  others  slept,  and 
now  that  an  attack  by  Indians  was  improbable,  and 
it  was  no  longer  necessary  to  strain  his  sense  of  hear 
ing  that  he  might  note  the  slightest  sound,  the  novelty 
of  the  situation  appealed  to  him. 

This  night  the  moon  in  its  third  quarter  shone 
from  out  a  cloudless  sky,  and  at  the  altitude  of  the 
great  intermontane  valley  in  which  they  rested,  the 
rays  were  brighter  than  at  points  nearer  the  sea 
level,  so  the  river  bank  and  the  open  country  were 
visible  with  nearly  the  distinctness  of  day. 

As  the  boy  walked  a  few  times  back  and  forth,  a 
rifle  on  his  shoulder,  then  paused  for  a  short  rest 
under  the  tree,  he  puzzled  his  brain  to  account  for 
their  not  having  found  the  second  white  rock.  He 

167 


158  INCALAND. 

believed  implicitly  in  the  truth  of  all  that  Huayno 
had  said,  and  was  confident  that  not  far  from  where 
he  stood  great  riches  were  stored  in  the  ground. 

But  could  they  ever  locate  the  mine  ?  It  would 
be  a  task  of  years  to  demolish  all  those  mounds  and 
ascertain  which  hid  the  entrance  to  the  old  work 
ings  ;  and  should  it  be  attempted,  others  must  learn 
what  they  were  doing  on  the  banks  of  the  Maraiion, 
others  would  flock  to  the  place  with  picks  and 
shovels,  and  among  these  others  some  one  or  two 
might  first  find  the  store  of  yellow  metal. 

Thus  cogitating  he  walked  closer  to  the  river  and 
stood  beneath  the  great  white  rock,  which  shone 
resplendent  in  the  moonlight,  glistening  and  seem 
ing  to  be  translucent.  Studying  the  strange  geo 
logical  formation  attentively,  he  noticed  for  the  first 
time  that  only  the  side  facing  up  stream  and  the  side 
facing  the  woods  were  white  ;  those  facing  down 
stream  and  the  opposite  shore  were  much  darker, 
almost  a  slate  color.  This  peculiarity  had  not  been 
remarked,  because  no  member  of  the  party  had  gone 
farther  down  stream.  The  boy  also  saw  that  the 
rock  was  several  feet  from  the  river  and  that  its 
lower  portion,  where  the  water  washed,  had  turned 
this  same  slate  color. 

He  paced  slowly  back  to  the  tree,  meditating  on 
these  observations,  and  endeavoring  to  solve  the 
reason  for  the  varying  of  the  physical  features  of 


HARVEY   AS    A   SENTRY.  159 

the  unique  landmark.  In  the  midst  of  this  his  mind 
strangely  reverted  to  the  time  of  a  dinner  party  that 
had  been  given  at  his  father's  home  in  Chucuito 
about  six  months  before,  and  try  as  he  might  he 
could  think  of  nothing  else  than  this  entertainment 
and  the  people  who  were  present ;  then  of  the  con 
versation  that  had  occurred  —  and  the  moment  the 
mind  cell  that  contained  the  impression  left  by  that 
conversation  opened,  he  had  the  solution  of  the  prob 
lem  which  confronted  them. 

At  this  dinner  Don  Isaac  Lawton,  editor  of  the 
South  Pacific  Times,  had  been  asked  to  explain  the 
absence  of  rain  on  the  Peruvian  coast-line.  He  had 
done  so  in  these  words  :  — 

"  The  absence  of  rain  on  the  coast  is  caused  by  the 
action  of  the  lofty  uplands  of  the  Andes  on  the  trade- 
wind.  The  southeast  trade-wind  blows  obliquely 
across  the  Atlantic  Ocean  until  it  reaches  Brazil. 
By  this  time  it  is  heavily  laden  with  vapor,  which 
it  continues  to  bear  along  across  the  continent, 
depositing  it  and  supplying  the  sources  of  the 
Amazon  and  the  La  Plata.  Finally,  the  trade-wind 
arrives  at  the  snow-capped  Andes,  and  here  the  last 
particle  of  moisture  is  wrung  from  it  that  the  very 
low  temperature  can  extract.  Coming  to  the  summit 
of  that  range,  it  rushes  down  as  a  cool  and  dry  wind 
on  the  Pacific  slopes  below.  Meeting  with  no  evapo 
rating  surface,  and  with  no  temperature  colder  than 


160  INCALAND. 

that  to  which  it  is  subjected  on  the  mountain  tops, 
this  wind  joins  the  south  trades  and  reaches  the  ocean 
before  it  becomes  charged  with  fresh  moisture." 

Harvey,  recalling  this  conversation,  for  it  had  been 
imprinted  upon  his  mind,  because  it  was  the  first 
explanation  he  had  heard  of  this  Pacific  coast 
phenomenon,  began  to  reason  that  if  the  trade-winds 
blew  in  a  certain  direction  over  Brazil  and  in  a 
certain  direction  on  the  coast,  there  was  undoubt 
edly  a  regularity  of  the  wind  currents  in  this  inter- 
montane  valley.  He  had  noticed  since  leaving 
Huari  that  what  breeze  stirred,  blew  in  their  faces  ; 
therefore  the  general  direction  of  the  wind  was  up 
stream,  or  toward  the  southwest. 

That  being  true,  the  reason  why  a  portion  of  the 
great  white  rock  had  turned  a  slate  color  was  evi 
dent —  it  was  weather-stained,  and  the  remaining 
portion,  sheltered  from  the  winds,  retained  its  lustre. 
At  this  stage  in  his  reflections  he  recalled  a  sentence 
from  his  geology  :  "  Alabaster  is  soluble  to  a  certain 
extent  in  water." 

This  white  rock  was  high  above  the  river  and  had 
not  been  dissolved  by  the  stream.  Its  northern  por 
tion  had  undoubtedly  been  worn  by  rains,  and  it  was 
probably  not  so  high  as  when  old  Huayno  was  a 
young  man  ;  still  it  had  been  better  preserved  than 
if  the  full  force  of  the  stream  had  been  brought  to 
bear  upon  it. 


HARVEY   AS  A   SENTRY.  161 

"  What  if  conditions  had  been  different  and  the 
rock  had  been  wave-washed  all  these  years  ? " 
Harvey  asked,  and  then  answered  himself :  "  It 
would  have  been  worn  down  and  all  sides  would 
have  been  weather-stained,  even  as  the  more  exposed 
portions  are." 

In  the  region  of  the  peculiar  mounds  they  had 
noticed  a  depression,  and  all  had  agreed  that  it  prob 
ably  formed  the  course  of  a  stream  during  the 
rainy  season.  Perhaps  the  second  white  rock  had 
stood  in  this  depression  ;  it  was  undoubtedly  not  so 
high  as  that  which  was  nearer  the  river,  even  in  old 
Huayno's  day.  What  then  would  have  been  the 
natural  result  of  a  low  rock  of  alabaster,  washed  five 
and  six  months  in  the  year  by  swiftly  running 
waters  ? 

Again  he  answered  himself,  to  the  effect  that 
under  such  circumstances  a  rock  of  this  description 
would  have  been  worn  down  in  the  eighty  years, 
perhaps  almost  to  a  level  with  the  country,  and 
its  entire  surface  would  be  slate-colored,  like 
the  weather-beaten  sides  of  the  landmark  on  the 
Maranon. 

Five  minutes  later  Harvey  entered  the  shelter- 
tent  and  awakened  Ferguson. 

"  My  turn  to  stand  guard,  eh  ? "  said  the  elder 
American,  as  he  threw  off  the  blankets  and  com 
menced  putting  on  his  clothing. 


162  INC  ALAND. 

The  boy  made  no  answer  until  he  was  joined  on 
the  outside  by  the  young  man  ;  then  he  said  :  — 

"No,  it  isn't  your  turn,  and  it  won't  be  for  an 
hour,  but  I  would  like  to  go  into  the  woods  for  a 
little  while  and  don't  wish  to  leave  the  camp  un 
guarded." 

"  Go  into  the  woods  !  Are  you  crazy,  lad  ?  Has 
the  moon  affected  you  ?  " 

"  I  have  an  idea  that  I  can  find  the  second  rock." 

"  You  have,  have  you  ?  " 

"Yes."  And  then  he  explained  his  chain  of 
reasoning. 

"  Now  I  call  that  clever,"  said  Ferguson,  "  and  I 
believe  you  have  hit  the  nail  on  the  head.  Don't 
you  want  somebody  to  go  with  you  ?  " 

"  No.  There's  no  danger.  I  shall  carry  my  shot 
gun.  Besides,  the  camp  must  be  guarded,  and  I 
don't  want  to  awaken  the  other  two." 

"  Why  not  ?  " 

"  They've  had  their  watch  ;  and  besides,  if  I  fail, 
there  won't  be  so  many  persons  disappointed." 

"Sensible  precaution,  that." 

"I  wish  I  had  Mr.  Hope- Jones's  compass." 

"  Here  it  is.  He  gave  it  to  me  in  the  woods  be 
cause  his  pocket  is  torn." 

"Let  me  have  it,  please.  Mr.  Ferguson,  5280 
feet  make  a  mile,  do  they  not  ?  " 

"Yes." 


HARVEY    AS    A    SENTRY.  163 

"  And  one-half  of  5280  is  2640  ?  " 

"  Certainly." 

"I  cover  about  two  feet  at  every  step  through 
this  broken  country,  do  I  not  ?  " 

"  About  that.  But  what  are  you  driving  at  ? 
You  are  the  greatest  boy  to  fire  questions  at  one  that 
I  ever  met." 

"  Why,  I  want  to  go  in  the  direction  old  Huayno 
gave  for  exactly  a  half  mile,  or  as  near  that  as 
possible,  and  then  investigate." 

"  Well,  take  care  of  yourself,  and  if  anything 
happens  fire  a  shot  and  I  will  hurry  to  your  aid." 

"Good-by." 

"Good  luck." 

And  the  boy  disappeared  in  the  timber.  "  One, 
two,  three,  four,  five,  six,  seven,  eight,  nine,  ten," 
Harvey  counted,  and  then  into  the  twenties  and  into 
the  hundreds,  thus  numbering  the  steps  as  he  took 
them  in  a  north  direction,  guided  by  the  compass 
needle.  He  soon  lost  sight  of  the  camp  and  of  the 
white  rock  and  was  well  in  the  region  of  the  tall 
trees.  He  had  carried  only  his  shot-gun,  the  little 
iron  hammer,  and  the  compass.  The  early  morning 
was  cool,  the  air  bracing,  and  as  the  moon's  rays 
gave  plenty  of  light,  he  made  quick  progress ;  but 
from  the  start  he  so  regulated  his  steps  that  they 
would  not  be  much  over  two  feet  each  in  length. 
Whatever  addition  there  might  be  to  that  measure 


164  INCALAND. 

he  thought  would  in  the  total  correspond  with  old 
Huayno's  idea  of  a  half  mile,  for  the  Indian's  esti 
mate  had  invariably  been  less  than  the  actual 
distance. 

He  had  counted  one  thousand  before  he  stopped 
to  rest ;  and  then  the  halt  was  but  momentary, 
more  to  tighten  his  belt  and  shift  his  shot-gun  from 
one  shoulder  to  the  other,  than  because  he  was 
tired.  Soon  after  starting  again,  he  noticed  to  his 
satisfaction  that  he  had  entered  the  slight  depres 
sion  which  they  had  observed  in  the  afternoon,  and 
through  which  it  was  believed  a  river  ran  during 
the  rainy  season.  Its  course  there  was  north  to 
south,  where  it  entered  the  Maraiion.  Thus  the 
strength  of  one  link  in  his  theoretical  chain  had 
been  proven  ;  if  the  second  white  rock  was  directly 
north  from  the  main  river,  it  undoubtedly  stood  in 
the  bed  of  this  periodical  waterway. 

About  this  time  he  entered  the  region  of  the 
curious  mounds  and  was  able  to  remain  in  the 
little  valley,  for  the  waters  had  washed  a  way 
around  each,  not  so  deep  as  the  channel,  however, 
proving  that  a  portion  of  the  flow  had  soaked 
through  the  strangely  formed  hillocks. 

At  his  two-thousandth  step  the  boy  noticed  that 
the  mounds  had  increased  in  size  and  were  closer 
together.  A  hundred  yards  farther  they  appeared 
to  be  merged  into  one,  which  was  several  hundred 


HARVEY   AS   A   SENTRY.  165 

feet  in  circumference,  and  which  appeared  to  be  a 
little  table-land,  indented  by  the  depression  across 
its  surface.  At  the  opposite  end  from  where  he 
had  entered  the  table-land,  or  rather  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  circle,  the  river-bed  swept  in  an  angle  to 
the  east. 

Perspiration  stood  in  beads  on  his  forehead ;  his 
heart  beat  wildly.  Was  he  right  ?  Was  this  little 
table-land,  this  mound  larger  than  all  the  others,  an 
elevation  at  the  mouth  of  the  mine  ?  Was  the  de 
composed  wood  under  his  feet  the  remains  of  trees 
which  had  been  felled  in  the  greatest  number  by  the 
Ayulis,  because  of  proximity  to  the  treasure  ?  If 
these  facts  were  true,  then  where  had  the  white  rock 
stood  ?  Why,  at  the  point  where  the  river  of  winter 
changed  its  course  to  the  east  ;  that  was  the  most 
probable  point,  if  the  pillar  that  marked  the  mine 
opening  bore  north  from  the  Maranori,  as  old  Huayno 
had  said. 

It  took  him  but  a  minute  to  reach  this  point,  and 
once  there  he  put  down  his  rifle,  then  commenced 
to  crawl  on  all  fours  over  the  little  hillocks  with 
which  the  big  mound  was  dotted,  striking  the 
ground  hard  blows  with  his  hammer.  After  having 
done  this  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour  or  so  he  stopped, 
for  he  was  almost  out  of  breath,  then  when  rested 
he  moved  to  the  other  side  of  the  depression,  at  a 
point  a  few  yards  beyond,  where  it  turned  east  at 


166  INCALAND. 

right  angles.  There  his  foot  encountered  some 
thing  hard,  and  throwing  himself  down,  he  com 
menced  feverishly  to  tear  aside  the  vines  and 
creepers  that  formed  a  covering.  When  they  were 
removed  he  saw  a  dark  brown  rock  that  was  covered 
over  with  decayed  vegetable  matter.  Scraping  this 
off,  the  lad  made  use  of  his  little  hammer,  and  after 
three  or  four  blows  a  wonderful  thing  happened. 

As  the  dirty  brown  shells  of  an  oyster  open  and 
reveal  an  interior  of  pearly  white,  so  the  breaking  of 
the  rock  showed  a  seam  that  was  the  color  of  milk. 

Ferguson,  standing  guard  near  the  Maranon,  was 
wondering  what  kept  Harvey  so  long  and  was  blam 
ing  himself  for  permitting  the  lad  to  enter  the 
woods  unaccompanied  at  such  an  hour,  when  his 
attention  was  attracted  by  the  crackling  of  under 
brush  some  distance  away,  and  then  the  sound  of 
footfalls  nearing  him  rapidly. 

"  Harvey's  on  the  run  !  "  he  ejaculated.  "  Wonder 
if  it's  a  puma  this  time,  or  what  ?  "  and  swinging  his 
rifle  on  his  shoulder,  he  started  at  a  double  quick  to 
the  forest,  where  he  met  the  boy,  hatless  and  minus 
his  shot-gun,  just  beyond  the  first  line  of  trees. 

He  had  no  opportunity  to  make  inquiries,  for  the 
lad  waved  a  piece  of  rock  the  instant  he  caught  sight 
of  him  and  screamed  :  — 

"  I've  found  it !  I've  found  it !  Look  at  this  ! 
will  you  ?  " 


HARVEY  AS   A   SENTRY.  167 

It  happened  that  the  shelter-tent  had  not  been 
erected  in  a  very  secure  manner  the  evening  before, 
for  all  hands  had  been  too  tired  and  discouraged ; 
they  had  used  a  very  thin  piece  of  wood  for  a  centre- 
pole.  Therefore  the  result  of  a  wild  rush  under  the 
canvas  by  Ferguson  and  Harvey,  both  anxious  to 
tell  the  cheering  news,  was  the  collapse  of  the  cloth 
structure,  and  in  the  entangling  folds  three  men  and 
a  boy  were  soon  struggling.  To  add  to  the  con 
fusion,  Hope-Jones,  who  had  been  dreaming  of  the 
Majeronas,  imagined  an  attack  was  on,  and  reaching 
out  for  the  fancied  opponent  nearest  him,  he  com 
menced  pommelling  Ferguson  lustily.  The  elder 
American,  who  was  so  imprisoned  by  the  canvas  that 
he  could  not  defend  himself,  might  have  been  seri 
ously  injured  had  not  Seiior  Cisneros  rolled  himself 
free,  and  dragged  the  bellicose  Englishman  away. 
He  then  freed  the  others,  and  as  Harvey  was  still 
breathing  heavily,  after  the  wild  dash  through  the 
woods,  he  drew  the  boy  to  him,  believing  he  had 
been  injured. 

"No,  I'm  not  hurt,"  exclaimed  the  lad,  panting. 
"  Look,  I  have  found  the  white  rock  over  there  in 
the  woods  !  Here's  a  piece  that  I  chipped  off," 
and  he  exhibited  the  specimen  of  alabaster,  to  which 
he  had  held  firmly. 

Hope-Jones,  who  by  this  time  had  come  to  his 
senses,  gave  a  yell  of  joy,  and  the  captain,  jumping 


168  INC  ALAND. 

to  his  feet,  caught  Harvey  by  the  shoulders  in  an 
embrace,  then  urged  him  to  relate  the  details  of  his 
exploration. 

Of  course  there  was  no  thought  of  attempting  to 
sleep  again  that  night ;  they  did  not  even  straighten 
up  the  shelter-tent.  Hope- Jones  and  Ferguson 
favored  starting  at  once  in  search  of  the  treasure, 
but  the  captain  said  it  would  be  wiser  first  to  eat 
breakfast.  "  Besides,"  he  added,  "  Harvey  needs 
some  rest." 

So  they  built  a  fire  and  soon  were  enjoying  tin  cups 
of  hot  coffee  and  some  broiled  duck's  meat  — for  the 
captain  had  snared  wild  fowl  the  evening  before 
and  had  prepared  it  while  on  watch. 

Although  the  moon  was  setting  when  the  start 
was  made  from  the  camp,  they  pushed  on  quickly, 
for  their  watches  told  them  that  in  another  half 
hour  dawn  would  come  ;  and  when  at  last  they 
reached  the  large  centre  mound  and  the  point  where 
Harvey  had  found  the  second  white  rock,  a  gray 
light  was  penetrating  the  woods. 


Three  happy  men,  and  a  boy  who  was  even 
happier,  sat  around  the  camp-fire  on  the  banks  of 
the  river  Maranon  that  evening. 

u  You  say  the  quartz  is  the  richest  you  ever  saw  ?  " 
asked  Harvey. 


HARVEY   AS   A   SENTRY.  169 

"  Yes,  it  is,"  and  the  captain  lifted  one  of  the 
many  pieces  they  had  brought  from  the  mine  as 
samples,  and  all  looked  at  it  for  perhaps  the  hun 
dredth  time  that  day. 

"  How  long  do  you  think  we  had  better  remain 
here  ?  "  Ferguson  inquired. 

"  Perhaps  a  fortnight.  That  will  give  us  ample 
time  in  which  to  explore  the  property  and  stake  it 
off." 

Another  member  of  the  camp  was  a  friendly 
Ayuli  Indian,  who  had  appeared  on  the  bank  as 
they  emerged  from  the  wood.  He  with  others  had 
been  driven  far  from  his  village  by  the  marauding 
band  of  Majeronas  before  the  latter's  encounter 
with  the  white  men,  and  he  was  making  a  long 
detour  on  his  return.  They  had  detained  him 
over  night  and  on  the  morrow  intended  sending 
him  with  letters  to  Huari,  from  where  they  would 
be  forwarded  to  Chicla  and  then  to  Callao. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

BELLA   CACERAS   RECOGNIZES   A   VOICE. 

ONE  evening  early  in  November,  1879,  several 
persons  met  at  the  home  of  John  Dartmoor 
in  Chucuito,  a  suburb  in  Callao. 

From  La  Punta,  a  seaside  resort,  had  come  Cap 
tain  and  Mrs.  Saunders,  with  their  sons,  Carl  and 
Harold,  the  first-named  a  boy  who  was  just  gradu 
ating  from  his  teens  and  the  latter  a  much  younger 
lad.  Carl  was  the  chum  of  Louis  Dartmoor,  Har 
vey's  elder  brother  ;  and  these  three,  Carl,  Louis, 
and  Harvey,  had  experienced  many  adventures  in 
Callao  Bay  together.  Another  adult  guest  was 
Don  Isaac  Lawton,  a  courtly  British  colonial,  editor 
of  the  South  Pacific  Times,  a  man  greatly  esteemed 
•>y  both  Mr.  Dartmoor  and  Captain  Saunders,  in 
deed  by  all  the  American  and  English  residents  of 
Peru. 

A  younger  visitor  was  Bella  Caceras,  whose 
name  has  appeared  in  earlier  chapters.  Seated 
beside  her  on  a  couch  in  the  little  parlor  this  evening 
was  Rosita  Dartmoor,  whose  strong  resemblance 

170 


BELLA  CACERAS  RECOGNIZES  A  VOICE.    171 

to  her  Peruvian  mother  was  as  marked  as  was  her 
younger  brother's  resemblance  to  his  American 
father. 

A  dinner  had  preceded  the  social  evening,  and  the 
occasion  of  the  gathering  was  to  celebrate  Rosita's 
fifteenth  birthday.  One  who  did  not  know  how 
rapidly  girls  mature  in  these  South  American  coun 
tries  would  have  thought  her  several  years  older  ; 
indeed,  in  the  United  States  she  would  readily  have 
passed  for  a  miss  of  eighteen  or  nineteen,  and  so 
would  Bella  Caceras,  who  was  Rosita's  age.  Both 
girls  wore  long  skirts,  and  in  Peru  they  were  con 
sidered  old  enough  to  enter  society.  This  winter 
would  have  witnessed  their  debut,  had  it  not  been 
for  the  circumstances  of  the  times  preventing  the 
social  entertainments  that  for  years  had  marked 
Lima  and  Callao  as  gay  cities  of  the  West  Coast. 

Peru,  in  this  November  of  1879,  was  a  nation  of 
mourning,  a  country  plunged  in  despair.  Eight 
months  before  she  had  taken  up  arms  against  Chile, 
to  prevent  the  latter's  seizure  of  land  to  the  south 
which  was  rich  in  nitrate  of  soda  Entering  the 
contest  with  a  well-equipped  army  and  with  a  navy 
that  was  deemed  by  many  the  equal  of  the  enemy's, 
she  had  met  a  series  of  reverses  that  were  disheart 
ening,  and  in  this  early  summer  month  —  the  sea 
sons  below  the  equator  are  the  reverse  of  those  to 
the  north  —  it  was  evident  that  the  country's  doom 


172  INCALAND. 

was  sealed,  and   that   any  day  a   conquering   army 
might  move  from  the  south  and  besiege  the  capital. 

Fate  had  been  unkind  to  the  northern  republic. 
One  month  after  hostilities  had  commenced,  the 
largest  war-ship,  the  Independencia,  had  been  lost 
on  a  reef  near  Iquique  while  in  pursuit  of  a  little 
Chilean  gunboat  that  was  hardly  worthy  the  capture. 
In  October,  the  Huascar,  a  turret-ship  of  great 
power,  had  been  surrounded  off  Point  Angamos, 
while  steaming  north,  by  nearly  all  the  ships  of  the 
Chilean  fleet  and  had  been  captured  after  a  bitter 
engagement,  but  not  until  nearly  one-half  of  her 
crew  had  been  killed  and  she  had  been  set  on  fire 
in  several  places. 

It  was  during  this  engagement  that  Grau,  admi 
ral  of  the  Peruvian  navy,  had  been  killed  ;  and  that 
is  why  Bella  Caceras  was  in  mourning,  for  he  was 
her  uncle.  The  loss  of  the  Huascar  had  cast  a 
gloom  over  all  Peru,  and  the  despair  was  heightened 
a  few  weeks  later  by  the  news  that  the  gunboat  Pil- 
comayo  had  been  captured. 

Meanwhile  revolution  had  left  its  scar  upon  the 
country.  Prado,  the  president,  had  fled  to  Europe, 
and  an  attempt  by  his  ministers  to  form  a  govern 
ment  had  been  resisted  by  Don  Nicolas  de  Pierola, 
who  with  a  force  of  mountain  men  and  some  army 
and  navy  officers,  who  flocked  to  his  standard,  had 
attacked  the  palace  in  Lima,  which  they  had  cap- 


BELLA    C  ACER  AS    RECOGNIZES    A   VOICE.        173 

tured  after  a  bitter  struggle  ;  and  as  a  result,  Pie- 
rola  was  at  this  time  dictator  of  Peru.  The  land 
forces  had  not  been  more  successful  than  had  the 
maritime.  Reverses  had  been  met  in  the  south,  and 
orders  had  been  given  to  concentrate  troops  in  the 
vicinity  of  Lima,  to  take  part  in  the  defence  of  the 
capital ;  for  now  that  the  Peruvian  navy  had  been 
nearly  annihilated,  the  ocean  highway  was  clear,  and 
it  was  possible  for  Chile  to  move  transports  as  she 
wished. 

Callao  was  the  one  strong  point  in  the  country. 
Defended  by  large  modern  guns  in  the  castles,  in 
the  Chucuito  forts,  at  Los  Baiios  and  at  La  Punt  a, 
the  city  was  pronounced  able  to  withstand  any  bom 
bardment.  But  a  blockade  !  That  was  what  the 
residents  feared,  for  with  a  cordon  of  ships  in  the 
offing  commerce  could  not  be  maintained  ;  supplies 
of  food  from  the  north  and  south  and  supplies  from 
Europe,  upon  which  the  residents  greatly  depended, 
would  cease. 

As  yet  no  Chilean  ships  had  appeared  off  the  port, 
except  to  reconnoitre,  but  rumors  came  from  the 
enemy's  country  that  a  squadron  for  blockade  duty 
was  forming,  and  more  heartrending  than  all  was 
the  report  that  machinists  were  busy  on  the  Huascar, 
putting  her  in  trim,  and  that  she  would  form  one  of 
the  fleet.  At  this  news  Peruvians  gnashed  their 
teeth  with  rage. 


174  INCALAND. 

It  would  be  bad  enough  to  have  the  ironclads 
Blanco  Encalada  and  Almirante  Cochrane  dominate 
the  sea  within  their  sight,  but  to  be  compelled  to 
witness  a  little  turret-ship,  once  the  pride  of  the 
Peruvian  navy,  steam  near  San  Lorenzo  island  at 
the  entrance  to  the  harbor,  flying  the  lone  star  flag 
of  the  enemy,  would  be  the  last  drop  in  the  bitter  cup. 

The  gloom  which  overspread  the  country  had 
little  part  in  John  Dartmoor's  home  on  this  evening. 
They  were  all  very  happy,  for  any  day  they  were  ex 
pecting  the  return  of  Harvey  from  the  interior,  and 
a  letter  received  from  him  had  told  them  that  his 
mission  had  been  successful,  even  beyond  their  most 
fanciful  expectations. 

It  was  only  the  extreme  of  circumstances  that  had 
influenced  Mr.  Dartmoor  to  let  his  younger  son 
undertake  this  hazardous  trip.  At  the  time  of  the 
lad's  departure  he  had  believed  he  could  postpone 
the  evil  day  for  several  months,  but  a  few  weeks 
later  came  the  news  of  the  naval  engagement  off 
Point  Angamos  and  the  defeat  of  the  Huascar,  which 
caused  a  financial  panic  in  Callao  and  Lima,  and 
among  the  many  forced  to  the  wall  was  the  American 
iron  merchant. 

He  bravely  faced  the  storm  and  was  ably  assisted 
by  his  wife  and  children,  who  cheerfully  accustomed 
themselves  to  the  new  life  that  was  made  necessary. 
They  gave  up  their  handsome  home  and  moved  into 


BELLA   C  ACER  AS   RECOGNIZES   A   VOICE.        175 

a  little  cottage  ;  Mrs.  Dartmoor  yielded  her  jewels, 
that  more  money  might  be  paid  their  creditors ; 
Rosita  denied  herself  the  pleasures  which  her  father's 
wealth  in  former  years  had  enabled  her  to  enjoy,  and 
Louis,  believing  that  he  should  no  longer  be  a  burden 
at  home,  secured  a  position  as  purser's  clerk  on  one 
of  the  steamers  of  the  Pacific  Steam  Navigation 
Company. 

A  fortnight  before  this  evening  the  same  persons 
had  met  at  Mr.  Dartmoor's  home  to  bid  good-by  to 
Louis,  who  had  planned  to  sail  on  the  morrow,  and 
while  they  were  gathered  in  the  little  parlor  a  clerk 
had  arrived  from  the  ship  chandler's,  where  Mr. 
Dartmoor  had  found  temporary  employment,  and  had 
brought  a  letter  received  late  in  the  afternoon.  It 
was  from  Harvey,  and  the  lad  had  written  :  — 

"  DEAR  ONES  AT  HOME  :  I  have  found  it,  or 
rather  we  have  found  it.  The  mine  is  here,  just 
where  the  old  Inca  said  it  would  be  found.  Mr.  Fer 
guson,  who  is  somewhat  versed  in  such  matters,  says 
that  millions  are  buried.  From  the  study  that  I  have 
had,  I  know  that  our  assays  have  shown  twenty-five 
per  cent  gold  to  seventy-five  per  cent  gross. 

"  Of  course  it  is  difficult  to  work  this  mine,  because 
no  means  of  transportation  exist,  but  as  Mr.  Hope- 
Jones  says,  'Gold  is  gold,'  and  there  will  be  no  lack 
of  capital  to  exploit  what  we  have  found.  This 


176  LNCALAND. 

letter  I  have  written  with  the  stub  of  a  pencil, 
seated  on  the  side  of  an  ironwood  tree.  It  is  sent 
by  a  native,  who  has  promised  to  take  it  to  Chicla, 
from  where  it  will  be  forwarded  by  post.  We  shall 
start  home  in  about  two  weeks,  after  we  have  collected 
sufficient  samples.  My  love  for  everybody,  and  I 
hope  this  letter  will  not  arrive  too  late. 

"  HARVEY. 

"P.S.  Please  ask  Rosita  to  tell  Bella  Caceras, 
the  next  time  she  sees  her,  that  I  have  appreciated 
her  gift  very  much.  It  has  been  a  constant  com 
panion." 

The  joy  which  the  receipt  of  this  letter  had  given 
them  all  can  well  be  imagined.  John  Dartmoor  saw 
the  rehabilitation  of  his  fortunes  at  no  distant  day, 
and  the  reinstatement  of  his  wife  and  children  in  the 
life  to  which  they  had  been  accustomed.  The  letter 
had  also  made  it  unnecessary  for  Louis  to  go  to  sea, 
but  as  he  had  promised  the  superintendent  of  the 
steamship  company  to  take  the  position,  and  as  it 
would  have  been  difficult  to  find  another  person  com 
petent  for  the  place  on  such  short  notice,  he  had 
made  one  voyage  to  Panama,  returning  the  evening 
before  this  entertainment  in  honor  of  his  sister's 
birthday. 

To  another  member  of  this  party  Harvey's  news 
had  also  brought  happiness  and  relief  from  worry. 


BELLA   CACERAS  RECOGNIZES   A   VOICE.        177 

Mr.  Lawton  had  felt  the  burden  of  financial  depres 
sion  almost  as  much  as  had  Mr.  Dartmoor,  and 
although  he  had  weathered  the  first  storm,  yet  every 
one  knew  that  it  was  but  the  matter  of  a  month  or 
two  before  his  publishing  house  would  be  compelled 
to  close.  The  very  day  after  the  boy's  letter  came 
to  Chucuito,  Harvey's  father  had  entered  the  edi 
torial  rooms  and  had  said  :  — 

"Don  Isaac,  can  you  hold  out  for  a  little  while 
longer  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  think  I  can,"  was  the  reply.  "  But  what 
is  the  use  ?  The  end  must  come,  and  might  as  well 
happen  now  as  later.  Advertisers  simply  cannot 
pay  their  contracts,  for  all  business  is  at  a  stand 
still,  and  there  is  a  straight  loss  in  the  circulation 
with  the  currency  so  depreciated." 

"Well,  I  wish  you  to  hold  on  until  Harvey 
returns." 

"  Why  so,  my  friend  ?  " 

"  Because  I  know  that  nothing  would  give  my  son 
more  pleasure,  after  caring  for  his  mother  and  sister, 
than  advancing  you  all  the  money  necessary  to  tide 
you  over." 

"  Do  you  think  so,  Dartmoor  ?  " 

"  Indeed  I  know  it,  and  can  promise  it  for  him." 

"  Thank  God  !  "  exclaimed  the  Britisher  fervently, 
but  in  a  choking  voice.  His  eyes  were  unusually 
brilliant,  for  they  had  grown  moist.  He  was  a 


178  INCALAND. 

bachelor,  all  his  relatives  were  dead,  and  his  news 
paper  was  the  one  object  that  made  life  dear  to  him. 

That  evening  Mr.  Dartmoor  said  to  his  wife  :  "  It 
seemed  so  strange  for  me  to  speak  of  Harvey  lend 
ing  money.  But  it  is  a  fact,  and  he  will  really  be 
lending  it  to  us,  for  it  will  be  his." 

"  I  am  certain  you  know  Harvey  better  than  that/' 
Mrs.  Dartmoor  had  replied.  "  You  see  if  his  very 
iirst  act  is  not  to  insist  that  his  interest  be  trans 
ferred  to  you." 

"  But  I  would  not  accept  it." 

44  Nor  should  I  wish  you  to.  But  he  will  have  it 
arranged  in  some  manner,  that  I  know." 

Although  Captain  Saunders  was  not  in  financial 
distress,  for  he  was  paid  in  gold  by  the  American 
Board  of  Marine  Underwriters,  for  whom  he  was 
agent  on  the  West  Coast,  yet  the  letter  from  the 
interior  had  made  him  none  the  less  happy  than  it 
had  the  others,  for  John  Dartmoor  was  not  only  a 
close  friend  of  his  Peruvian  life,  but  they  had  been 
chums  in  boyhood,  even  as  their  sons  were  at  this 
time  ;  and  for  Don  Isaac  he  had  the  same  regard. 

None  of  them  in  Chucuito  permitted  the  news  to 
alter  their  mode  of  living.  Mr.  Dartmoor  remained 
at  the  desk  in  a  ship  chandler's,  and  with  his  wife 
and  Rosita  lived  in  the  little  cottage,  waiting  until 
the  adventurers  should  return  from  the  interior. 
The  good  news  had  been  noised  about  in  Callao  and 


BELLA   C  ACER  AS   RECOGNIZES   A    VOICE.        179 

Lima,  and  several  offers  had  been  made  Mr.  Dart 
moor  by  persons  anxious  to  advance  money  and 
secure  a  promise  of  an  interest  in  the  wonderful 
mine.  But  all  these  the  American  refused,  saying 
that  the  property  was  not  his,  but  his  son's,  and  he 
did  not  wish  to  make  any  arrangements  until  the  lad 
should  return. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  Harvey  in  writing  had 
refrained  from  making  mention  of  the  encounter 
with  the  Majeronas.  He  had  done  this  so  that  his 
parents  might  not  be  alarmed.  And  he  had  said 
nothing  concerning  Senor  Cisneros.  So  that  all  they 
knew  was  that  the  mine  had  been  located,  that  it  was 
rich  in  gold,  and  that  the  boy  was  well. 

"  Let's  see,  it's  a  little  over  two  weeks  since  the 
letter  came,  is  it  not  ?  "  asked  Captain  Saunders  on 
the  occasion  of  this  birthday  entertainment. 

"  Yes,  two  weeks  ago  Tuesday. " 

"He  said  that  they  expected  to  leave  within  a 
fortnight  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  Then  he  is  due  now  at  any  time." 

"  I  hardly  expect  him  so  soon,"  said  Mr.  Dartmoor. 
"  The  Indian  runner,  accustomed  to  the  country,  and 
having  nothing  to  carry,  would  be  able  to  make 
much  better  time  through  the  mountains  than  Hope- 
Jones,  Ferguson,  and  my  son,  burdened  with  their 
camp  utensils,  and  with  the  samples  of  ore.  So  I 


180  INCALAND. 

would  not  be  surprised  should  another  week  elapse 
before  their  arrival." 

"  You  are  doubtless  correct.  I  had  not  thought  of 
those  matters." 

"  Wouldn't  it  be  jolly  though  if  they  should  arrive 
unexpectedly  to-night  !  "  exclaimed  Carl  Saunders, 
and  Louis  added,  "  I  should  say  so." 

They  were  interrupted  by  a  loud  ring  at  the  bell. 

"  I  wonder  if  it  can  be  possible  !  "  exclaimed  the 
elder  Dartmoor  boy,  springing  to  his  feet  and  rush 
ing  out  into  the  hall.  All  conversation  ceased,  and 
they  listened  intently.  But  it  was  not  the  voice  of 
Harvey  that  sounded  when  the  door  was  opened. 
The  tones,  however,  they  recognized  as  those  of 
a  very  dear  friend,  General  Matajente,  the  smallest 
officer  in  the  Peruvian  army,  a  man  who  had  been  a 
captain  in  the  navy  during  the  administration  of 
President  Prado,  but  who  had  joined  the  land  forces 
of  Pierola  and  had  rendered  that  leader  such  signal 
service  that  he  had  been  rapidly  promoted. 

"Are  your  parents  in?"  they  heard  the  general 
ask  Louis,  and  the  next  minute  he  came  hurriedly 
into  the  room,  apologizing  for  having  called  at  such 
a  late  hour,  and  expressing  himself  overjoyed  at  meet 
ing  so  many  of  his  friends  at  one  time. 

The  general  was  an  exquisite  in  the  matter  of  dress, 
and  wore  black  mustachios  that  were  so  long  and 
stood  out  so  prominently  that  he  gave  a  person  the 


BELLA   CACEKAS   RECOGNIZES   A    VOICE.        181 

idea  of  a  walking  cross.  Although  he  was  much 
undersized,  yet  those  who  knew  him  never  gave  the 
matter  of  his  height  any  thought,  for  he  was  a  most 
courageous  and  pugnacious  personage.  Both  Carl  and 
Louis  had  seen  him  facing  an  enemy,  and  had  mar 
velled  at  his  quickness  and  his  dexterity.  They  had 
been  present  on  the  Pilcomayo,  which  he  once  com 
manded,  when  the  captain  had  fought  a  duel  with  a 
naval  officer  who  was  much  his  superior  in  physique, 
yet  who  had  been  in  the  hands  of  the  little  man  as  a 
mouse  in  the  paws  of  a  kitten.  They  had  also  seen 
him  lead  the  famous  cavalry  charge  in  Lima,  and 
sweep  right  into  a  battery  of  guns,  sabring  the 
artillerists  until  all  the  pieces  were  silenced.  When 
they  thought  of  these  things,  Captain  Matajente,  as 
they  always  called  him  to  one  another,  appeared 
as  a  giant,  rather  than  a  dwarf,  which  he  was  in 
reality. 

"  Had  we  known  that  you  were  in  the  city,  gen 
eral,  we  should  have  sent  you  an  invitation  on  behalf 
of  Rosita,"  said  Mr.  Dartmoor. 

"  I  know  you  would,  and  I  am  delighted  that  I 
happened  in.  The  fact  is  I  came  from  Lima  only  on 
the  last  train." 

"  Are  you  going  to  remain  long?  " 

"Only  over  night,"  he  replied.  "  I  came  to  listen 
in  detail  to  some  remarkable  adventures ;  as  remark 
able,  I  am  sure,  as  any  that  ever  happened  to  three 


182  INCALAKD. 

young  men;  and  I  came  also,  Mr.  Dartmoor,  to 
introduce  my  cousin,  Anton  Cisneros,  a  resident  of 
Huari,  who  has  journeyed  to  the  coast  on  a  business 
trip." 

"  I  should  be  delighted " 

Mr.  Dartmoor  was  cut  short  by  the  entrance  from 
the  hallway  of  a  tall,  dark-featured  Peruvian,  clad 
in  a  long  poncho  and  wearing  heavy  top-boots, 
who  was  presented  to  those  who  were  in  the  parlor. 

"  Rosita,"  whispered  Bella  Caceras,  "  I  believe  that 
Harvey  has  returned.  Look  at  the  general.  Don't 
you  notice  a  twinkle  in  his  eyes?  And  what  is 
Louis  waiting  out  in  the  hall  for?  I  hear  voices, 
Rosita !  I  tell  you,  it's  your  brother !  "  and  the 
vivacious  Peruvian  girl  darted  from  the  room.  A 
second  later  she  gave  a  little  scream  of  delight,  then 
was  heard  to  say  :  "  I  knew  it !  I  knew  it !  Rosita, 
come  here ! " 

"  Ah !  the  little  minx  has  spoiled  my  surprise  !  " 
said  General  Matajente  to  those  in  the  parlor.  "  Har 
vey,  come  in  and  bring  your  friends !  " 

"  Harvey  here  ! "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Dartmoor,  rising 
quickly,  and  she  ran  to  the  door,  followed  by  her 
husband. 

Yes,  Harvey  was  there,  and  so  were  Hope-Jones 
and  Ferguson. 

44  Why,  you  have  grown  nearly  a  foot!"  said 
Mr.  Dartmoor,  holding  him  off  at  arm's  length  after 


BELLA    CACERAS    RECOGNIZES    A    VOICE.        183 

the  first  welcome  was  over.  "  And  you  are  almost 
black." 

Then  all  fell  to  talking  at  once,  as  is  usual  on  such 
occasions.  General  Matajente  explained  that  he  had 
met  the  travellers  by  chance  as  they  were  leaving  the 
Oroya  Railroad  station  in  Lima,  after  coming  in 
from  Chicla.  That  was  at  five  o'clock  in  the  after 
noon,  and  he  had  taken  them  to  his  home,  where  they 
had  removed  the  stains  of  travel.  He  had  been 
pleasantly  surprised  to  find  that  the  companion  of 
their  interior  journey  had  been  his  cousin  from 
Huari,  and  from  him  he  had  learned  something  of 
the  adventures  of  the  four.  Anxious  to  hear  the 
story  in  detail,  and  also  to  be  a  witness  to  the  joyful 
reunion,  he  had  accompanied  them  to  Callao  and  on 
to  Chucuito.  He  had  planned  that  Harvey's  en 
trance  should  be  a  surprise,  but  the  keen  ears  of 
Bella  Caceras  had  enabled  her  somewhat  to  turn  the 
tables. 

The  five  had  dined  in  Lima,  but  were  nothing 
loath  to  again  sitting  down  at  the  board,  and  at  ten 
o'clock  all  drew  up  chairs.  Then,  as  every  one 
insisted  that  the  story  of  the  adventures  be  told 
that  night,  Hope-Jones  described  their  experience 
from  Lima  to  Huari,  and  the  captain  took  up  the 
thread  of  the  story  from  the  time  of  their  departure 
from  the  mountain  town.  Mrs.  Dartmoor  shud 
dered  when  the  adventure  with  the  puma  was  related, 


184  INCALAND. 

and  the  girls  turned  pale.  But  when  it  came  to  the 
battle  with  the  Majeronas,  the  details  were  listened 
to  with  breathless  eagerness,  and  Harvey  felt  his 
mother's  arm  press  him  closer. 

There  were  two  scarlet  faces  in  the  room  as  the 
captain  detailed  the  sequel  to  this  fight  and  Harvey's 
narrow  escape  from  death ;  and  then,  for  the  first 
time,  the  men  learned  who  had  been  the  donor  of 
the  pincushion  that  had  stayed  the  arrow's  flight, 
for  Bella  Caceras  had  jumped  to  her  feet,  and  had 
run  over  to  the  boy's  side  when  she  heard  how  he 
had  carried  her  little  gift,  and  what  it  had  done  for 
him.  The  two  were  for  several  minutes  the  objects 
of  many  good-natured  jests,  but  they  bore  them 
bravely,  and,  all  being  interested  in  hearing  of  the 
further  discoveries,  the  narrative  was  resumed. 

It  was  after  midnight  before  everything  had  been 
told,  and  before  they  thought  of  rest.  Mr.  Dart 
moor  insisted  that  Senor  Cisneros  should  remain 
with  him,  and  that  Hope-Jones  and  Ferguson  also 
should  stay.  As  the  house  was  too  small  to  accom 
modate  all  whom  the  genial  American  wished  to 
accommodate,  Captain  Saunders  invited  General 
Matajente  to  go  with  him  to  La  Punta,  and  he  also 
urged  that  Louis  join  them  as  Carl's  guest.  This 
arrangement  was  finally  agreed  upon,  and  the  party 
for  La  Punta  withdrew,  being  accompanied  as  far  as 
the  little  railway  station  by  Don  Isaac,  who  had 


BELLA   CACEBAS   RECOGNIZES   A   VOICE.        185 

refused  all  invitations  and  had  said  that  he  would 
prefer  to  walk  to  his  rooms  in  Callao. 

"  For,"  he  explained  to  Captain  Saunders,  "  I  feel 
a  strange  buoyancy  to-night ;  even  as  if  I  were  a 
boy  again." 

The  editor  had  good  cause  for  this.  A  few  min 
utes  before  good  nights  were  said,  he  had  been  taken 
one  side  by  Mr.  Dartmoor,  who  had  whispered :  - 

"  I  spoke  to  Harvey  of  my  wish  that  you  should 
share  our  good  fortune,  and  he  is  enthusiastic  at  the 
idea." 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

BLOCKADE   OF   CALLAO   HARBOR. 

LOUIS  DARTMOOK  and  Carl  Saunders  were 
early  astir  at  the  home  of  the  latter's  parents 
in  La  Punta  the  next  morning.  The  Peruvian  resi 
dence  of  the  American  captain  was  a  suite  of  rooms 
in  a  large,  rambling  hotel,  situated  at  the  extreme 
tip  of  the  narrow  peninsula  that  juts  into  the  Pacific 
west  of  Callao,  and  forms,  with  San  Lorenzo  Island, 
three  miles  distant,  a  shelter  for  the  bay. 

It  was  only  a  stone's  throw  from  the  hotel  to  the 
beach,  and  as  was  their  frequent  practice,  the  boys 
donned  their  bathing  suits  in  the  bedrooms,  and 
running  down  the  rear  stairs,  took  a  dip  in  the 
ocean  before  breakfast,  diving  through  the  inrush- 
ing  breakers  and  swimming  out  some  distance  from 
the  shore.  They  were  in  the  water  about  a  half 
hour  and  had  returned  to  the  rooms  by  half -past  six. 
Faustina,  Mrs.  Saunders's  cook,  —  the  suite  occupied 
by  the  Americans  resembled  in  many  respects  the 
apartment  house  of  the  United  States,  inasmuch  as 

186 


BLOCKADE   OF   CALLAO   HARBOR.  187 

they  had  their  independent  kitchen  and  dining  room, 
—  had  just  arrived  from  Callao,  and  had  put  the 
water  for  the  coffee  over  to  boil.  So  the  boys,  hav 
ing  plenty  of  time  on  their  hands  before  breakfast 
could  be  ready,  dressed  at  their  leisure,  after  a  brisk 
rub-down  with  coarse  towels,  then  went  out  on  the 
broad  veranda,  where  Louis  told  Carl  of  some  of  his 
experiences  while  on  his  one  voyage  as  purser's  clerk; 
then  they  began  discussing  the  return  of  Harvey. 

The  veranda  was  unusually  wide,  even  for  a  South 
American  country,  and  ran  the  entire  length  of  the 
hotel.  From  the  north  end  it  commanded  a  view  of 
the  bay  and  also  of  the  entrance  to  the  harbor,  which 
was  past  the  north  end  of  San  Lorenzo.  The  chan 
nel  between  that  island  and  La  Punta  was  so  strewn 
with  reefs  as  to  be  dangerous  for  any  except  very 
light-draught  vessels.  When  they  had  reached  the 
end  of  the  veranda,  a  light  mist  had  obscured  most 
of  the  bay,  and  it  was  quite  dense  to  seaward ;  but 
while  they  were  talking  this  mist  gradually  disap 
peared  under  the  influence  of  the  sun's  rays,  and  a 
breeze  had  commenced  blowing  from  the  south,  so 
that  within  a  quarter  of  an  hour  the  waves  had 
turned  from  a  dull  gray  to  bright  indigo,  except 
close  in  shore,  where  they  broke  in  white  foam  be 
fore  dashing  on  the  stony  beach. 

Louis,  happening  to  glance  toward  the  end  of  San 
Lorenzo  soon  after  this  transformation  was  wrought, 


188  INCALAND. 

seized  Carl's  arm  and  gave  a  yell  as  he  pointed  in  the 
direction  where  ships  round  the  headland  to  enter 
port.  "  Look  !  Look  !  "  he  said. 

Carl  did  so,  then  gasped,  "  The  Chileans !  " 

"  Yes,  the  Chileans  !  The  blockading  fleet !  One, 
two,  three,  four,  five  ships  !  " 

"  Oh,  Louis  I  " 

"  Yes,  Carl !  " 

"  Isn't  that  the  Huascar?" 

"  Great  Scott !  I  believe  it  is  !  Our  little  Huas 
car,  with  the  lone  star  flag  at  her  gaff !  Isn't  that 
terrible  !  " 

"And  there's  the  Pilcomayo  too.  Think  of  it. 
The  gunboat  that  Captain  Matajente  once  com 
manded  ;  and  now  he  is  perhaps  asleep  in  our  guest 
room.  We  must  tell  him  and  also  tell  father." 

"  Wait  a  minute,  Carl.  That's  one  of  the  big  iron 
clads,  I  guess  ;  that  one  to  the  right  of  the  Huascar. 
Wonder  whether  it's  the  Blanco  or  the  Cochrane?" 

"  I  don't  suppose  anybody  can  tell  at  this  distance. 
They  are  sister  ships,  you  know",  and  I  heard  father 
say  they  differed  only  in  their  superstructure. 
Whichever  she  is,  she  is  the  flagship,  for  I  can  make 
out  the  admiral's  pennant  at  the  fore  truck.  And 
look,  a  steam  launch  is  putting  off  from  her  side  and 
making  for  shore  !  Perhaps  they  are  sending  notice 
of  a  bombardment !  " 

The  boys  then  hurriedly  left  the  end  of  the  veranda 


BLOCKADE  OF   CALLAO   HARBOR.  189 

and  ran  into  the  little  parlor,  then  into  the  first  bed 
room,  where  they  found  Captain  Saunders  shaving. 
Both  were  too  excited  to  say  anything  for  a  full 
minute,  and  the  American,  somewhat  vexed  at  the 
intrusion,  exclaimed  :  — 

"  Carl,  you  should  not  bring  your  friend  in  here, 
for  I  am  not  yet  dressed." 

"  But  father  —  the  Chileans  —  the  Chileans  —  are 
—  in  the  offing." 

uThe  Chileans!  Who  said  so?  It  must  be  a 
bola!"1 

"  But  it's  not  a  bola,  father.  We  have  seen  them 
ourselves.  There  are  five  ships  —  one  of  the  big 
ironclads,  the  Ifuascar,  the  Pilcomayo,  and  two 
other  vessels  ;  all  are  steaming  up  and  down." 

Captain  Saunders  placed  the  razor  on  the  dresser, 
hurriedly  washed  his  face,  and  went  with  the  boys  to 
the  point  from  where  they  had  viewed  the  fleet. 
They  had  no  more  than  reached  the  end  of  the  ve 
randa  than  they  heard  the  pattering  of  bare  feet  on 
the  wood  floor,  and  turning,  saw  General  Matajente 
running  toward  them,  exclaiming  at  the  top  of  his 
voice  :  "  What's  that  I  heard  ?  The  Chilenos  ?  Did 
any  one  say  the  Chilenos  were  in  sight  ?  " 

It  was  well  for  the  boys  that  they  had  frequently 

1  Many  false  rumors  and  many  grossly  exaggerated  reports  were 
current  up  and  down  the  coast  during  the  Chile-Peruvian  war,  and 
these  were  designated  by  the  term  "  bola.1' 


190  INCALAND. 

been  impressed  with  the  little  general's  prowess,  else 
they  might  not  have  restrained  their  laughter  at  the 
sight  which  he  had  presented.  Hearing  their  report 
of  the  enemy,  he  had  jumped  from  his  bed  and  had 
run  without  stopping  to  dress.  The  evening  before, 
Captain  Saunders  had  given  him  a  pair  of  his  pyja 
mas,  and  these  the  little  general  had  been  compelled 
to  turn  up  both  at  the  legs  and  arms,  until  the  fold 
of  the  former  reached  to  his  knees  and  of  the  latter 
to  his  elbows.  He  was  evidently  accustomed  to 
wearing  a  nightcap  when  at  home,  and  such  an  arti 
cle  not  being  in  the  American's  wardrobe,  the  Peru 
vian  had  tied  his  handkerchief  over  his  head. 
Beneath  this  band  of  white  his  long,  black  mustach- 
ios  stood  out  straight  and  his  shaggy  eyebrows  pro 
truded. 

In  his  haste  and  excitement  he  pushed  Carl  and 
Louis  one  side,  and  to  see  the  better,  when  he  reached 
the  place  that  commanded  a  view  of  the  harbor 
entrance,  he  stood  up  on  the  foot-board  of  the  rail. 
Then  he  broke  out  into  violent  exclamations. 

"  C-a-r-a-m-ba !  "  he  hissed,  "  the  audacity  of 
them  !  To  bring  the  Huascar  here  with  their  abom 
inable  flag  flying  !  And  my  little  Pilcomayo  !  My 
pride  !  My  treasure  !  With  dirty  Chilenos  on  her 
decks  !  C-a-r-a-m-b-a  !  It  is  too  much  I  It  is  too 
much  !  " 

Tears  commenced  to  roll  down  his  face,  and  he  be- 


BLOCKADE   OF   CALLAO   HARBOR.  191 

came  almost  hysterical.  The  man  who,  during  his 
lifetime,  had  faced  death  perhaps  a  hundred  times 
without  flinching,  the  man  who,  in  the  streets  of 
Lima,  had  led  a  cavalry  squadron  right  into  the  very 
centre  of  a  battery,  was  sobbing  like  a  child.  But 
they  understood  those  tears  and  also  the  convulsive 
chokings.  They  knew  that  not  only  sorrow,  but 
anger,  was  struggling  for  utterance,  and  in  addition 
to  all  was  humiliation. 

"  They  are  coming  ashore,  coming  to  give  notice  !  " 
he  explained,  noticing  for  the  first  time  the  little 
steam  launch  that  was  now  some  distance  from  the 
largest  ship.  "  I  hope  that  notice  will  be  of  a  bom 
bardment  ;  that  they  will  engage  the  forts  like  men, 
and  not  skulk  in  the  offing  and  destroy  ships  that 
cannot  fight.  O  for  one  shot  at  them  with  the 
castle  guns  !  " 

He  darted  away  from  the  railing  and  started  for 
the  stairs  that  led  from  the  veranda  to  the  main 
floor  beneath. 

"  Where  are  you  going,  general  ?  "  asked  Captain 
Saunders,  catching  the  little  officer  by  the  sleeve  of 
his  pyjamas. 

"  To  the  castles,"  he  replied. 

44  But  you  cannot  go  in  this  attire.  Remember, 
you  are  not  yet  dressed." 

The  Peruvian  officer  then  realized  for  the  first 
time  that  he  had  appeared  in  his  night  clothes,  and 


192  INCALAND. 

his  one  fault  being  his  vanity,  he  became  as  humble 
as  a  reprimanded  child  when  he  appreciated  what  a 
sorry  figure  he  had  cut.  To  add  to  his  confusion, 
Mrs.  Saunders  came  from  her  rooms  at  that  moment, 
and  before  her  husband  could  reach  her  side  and 
ask  her  to  withdraw,  she  had  taken  a  dozen  steps 
in  their  direction.  In  his  anxiety  not  to  be  seen, 
the  general  had  stepped  behind  Carl,  and  had  whis 
pered  to  the  boy:  "Shield  me!  Shield  me,  I  beg 
you  !  " 

That  was  easy  to  do,  for  the  youth  was  much  taller 
than  the  officer,  and  considerably  broader,  so  that, 
standing  still,  he  completely  hid  the  diminutive 
general,  who  remained  quiet  until  Mrs.  Saunders  had 
left  the  balcony.  Then,  darting  from  behind  his 
human  barrier,  he  made  haste  by  a  side  door  to  the 
room  where  he  had  passed  the  night. 

A  few  minutes  later  Faustina  announced  that 
breakfast  was  on  the  table,  and  Carl  and  Louis  at 
once  sat  down  with  Captain  and  Mrs.  Saunders. 
Although  the  latter  was  much  interested  in  the  news 
of  the  advent  of  the  Chilean  fleet,  she  asked  if  Gen 
eral  Matajente  had  been  awakened,  and  suggested 
that  they  await  his  arrival.  But  Captain  Saunders 
understood  the  officer  so  well  that  he  knew  he  would 
not  wish  to  present  himself  before  the  boys  after  his 
peculiar  appearance,  and  he  also  realized  that  the 
Peruvian  wished  to  reach  Callao  with  all  haste ;  so 


BLOCKADE   OF   CALLAO   HARBOR.  193 

he  made  excuses  for  him,  and  with  his  own  hands 
carried  a  tray  laden  with  edibles  to  his  room. 

"  I  shall  go  to  Callao  with  our  friend,"  he  said, 
on  his  return.  "  It  is  necessary  that  I  know  at 
once  what  course  the  Chileans  have  decided  to 
take." 

"  May  we  go  with  you  ?  "  Carl  asked. 

"  Yes,  if  you  hurry,  for  I  shall  not  detain  the  gen 
eral.  The  next  dummy  leaves  in  ten  minutes.  If 
you  can  catch  that,  you  may  go.  But  not  so  fast 
with  your  coffee,  Carl.  You  will  choke." 

"What  do  you  think  they  will  do?"  asked  Mrs. 
Saunders. 

"I  hardly  think  they  will  bombard,"  he  replied, 
"  for  they  know  the  range  of  the  guns  in  Callao,  and 
they  could  not  approach  near  enough  to  do  any 
damage  without  exposing  themselves  to  the  Peru 
vians'  fire.  So  I  expect  they  will  send  notice  of  a 
blockade.  However,  it  may  be  of  a  bombardment, 
and  in  that  event,  Louise,  we  shall  have  to  move  to 
Lima  to-night.  So  immediately  after  breakfast,  you 
had  better  call  in  Faustina  and  pack  the  trunks  ; 
then  we  shall  be  ready  for  any  emergency." 

"  What  if  they  declare  a  blockade  ? "  his  wife 
asked. 

"  Then  our  future  actions  will  depend  greatly  upon 
its  nature.  If  a  close  blockade  be  declared,  one  that 
will  prevent  the  entry  of  any  vessels  until  the  war  is 


194  INCALAND. 

ended,  I  believe  it  would  be  wise  for  you  to  leave  at 
once  for  the  States  with  the  children." 

"  Oh,  father,  please  don't  send  me.  Let  me  remain 
with  you." 

"  Would  you  not  wish  to  go  with  your  mother, 
Carl  ?  " 

"  Yes,  of  course,  but " 

"  If  I  should  have  to  go,  let  him  stay  with  you," 
Mrs.  Saunders  said.  "  I  can  understand  exactly  how 
he  feels  about  leaving  now.  He  would  be  a  compan 
ion  for  you,  dear  ;  and  besides,  the  experience  would 
be  valuable." 

"  Well,  well,  we  shall  see  about  it  later.  Matters 
may  not  come  to  such  a  pass  that  it  will  be  necessary 
for  anybody  to  go.  Are  you  ready,  boys  ?  Then 
join  me  at  the  dummy,  and  I  will  walk  over  with  the 
general.  Pardon  him,  Louise,  if  he  does  not  come  in 
to  say  good-by  ;  he  is  quite  put  out  by  the  course  of 
events." 

A  half  hour  later  the  four  had  reached  Callao,  and 
Captain  Saunders,  with  Carl  and  Louis,  went  direct 
to  the  editorial  rooms  of  the  South  Pacific  Times, 
knowing  that  there  they  would  hear  the  first  reliable 
news  ;  and  General  Matajente  went  to  the  office  of 
the  captain  of  the  port.  In  Mr.  Lawton's  apart 
ments  they  found  Mr.  Dartmoor  and  Harvey,  and 
several  other  American  and  English  residents  of 
Callao,  all  assembled  for  the  same  purpose.  Harvey 
at  once  joined  his  brother  and  their  chum. 


BLOCKADE   OF   CALLAO   HARBOR.  196 

"  Where  are  Hope- Jones  and  Ferguson  ?  "  asked 
Louis. 

"They  left  early  this  morning  for  Lima,  by  the 
first  train,  I  believe  ;  before  we  knew  the  Chileans 
had  been  sighted.  And  I  want  to  know,  Louis,  why 
you  didn't  tell  me  last  night  that  the  Huascar  and 
the  Pilcomayo  had  been  captured  while  I  was  in  the 
interior?  It  came  as  a  great  shock  this  morning." 

"That's  so,  Harvey.  I  confess  I  had  completely 
forgotten  that  you  were  not  as  well  posted  as  we. 
But  tell  me,  does  father  think  that  this  will  make 
any  difference  with  your  mine  ?  " 

"Don't  call  it  my  mine,  Louis.  It  belongs  to  us 
all ;  or  rather,  it  is  father's,  and  that  is  just  the  same 
thing." 

"  Well,  does  he  think  the  arrival  will  interfere 
much  with  your  plans  ?  " 

"No.  He  is  rather  glad  than  otherwise  that  the 
fleet  has  come,  for  he  believes  it  will  hasten  the  end. 
Of  course,  it  will  be  impossible  for  us  to  do  anything 
until  peace  shall  be  declared,  that  is,  to  commence 
any  mining;  so  the  sooner  Peru  yields  the  better." 

"  In  the  meantime,  what  are  you  going  to  do  ?  " 
asked  Carl. 

"  Seiior  Cisneros  will  return  to  the  interior  this 
week  with  a  surveyor  and  a  deputy  from  the  mining 
bureau,  so  as  to  comply  with  the  law  and  perfect  our 
claim,  and  some  one  will  go  to  either  New  York  or 


196  INCALAND. 

London  and  interest  capital,  in  order  that  we  may 
have  the  ready  money  with  which  to  secure  machin 
ery  and  bring  the  ore  to  the  coast.  In  the  mean 
time,  we  shall  be  able  to  borrow  sufficient  from  one 
of  the  banks  here  to  pay  all  preliminary  expenses." 

"  Who  will  go  to  New  York?  " 

uThat  I  don't  know.  We  have  arranged  to 
hold  another  meeting  to-night  at  Chucuito  and 
decide." 

Their  attention  was  attracted  by  the  entrance  of 
an  officer  in  the  service  of  the  Pacific  Steam  Naviga 
tion  Company,  who  had  come  from  the  office  of  the 
captain  of  the  port. 

"Has  the  Chilean  launch  arrived  at  the  mole?" 
asked  Don  Isaac,  eagerly ;  and  the  others  pressed 
near. 

"It  has.  And  the  admiral  has  served  notice  on 
all  interests  that  he  intends  maintaining  a  close 
blockade.  Non-combatants  will  be  allowed  forty- 
eight  hours  in  which  to  leave ;  after  that  no  vessel, 
sail  or  steam,  will  be  permitted  to  enter  port  or 
depart.  So  my  ship,  gentlemen,  will  be  the  last 
to  leave." 

Hearing  this,  Captain  Saunders  jumped  to  his  feet, 
and  beckoning  Carl  to  his  side,  bade  him  come,  and 
the  two  hurriedly  left  the  room. 

"What's  the  matter,  father?"  the  boy  asked,  as 
they  walked  rapidly  across  the  plaza. 


BLOCKADE   OF    CALLAO   HARBOR.  197 

"  Didn't  you  hear  Captain  Brown  say  that  his  ship 
would  be  the  last  to  leave  Callao  ?  " 

"Yes,  sir." 

"Then  I  have  no  time  to  lose  in  securing  a  pas 
sage  for  your  mother,  Harold,  and  yourself.  The 
boat  will  be  crowded ;  hundreds  will  apply  who  will 
not  even  be  able  to  get  berths.  By  going  to  the 
office  at  once,  I  can  perhaps  reserve  a  stateroom." 

"  Father,  I  wish  you  would  let  me  remain  with 
you." 

"Do  you  know  what  it  means,  Carl,  to  be  in  a 
blockaded  city  with  all  supplies  cut  off  ? " 

"  I  can  imagine,  father ;  but  I  should  like  very 
much  to  stay  with  you.  Besides,  I  am  some  little 
help  in  the  office,  am  I  not  ?  " 

"  Yes.  But  with  a  blockade  established,  no  ships 
will  come  in,  and  I  shall  have  nothing  to  do." 

"Then,  isn't  that  a  reason  for  my  remaining? 
You  will  be  very  lonely,  and  should  have  one  of 
your  sons  by  your  side." 

Captain  Saunders  smiled.  "  Very  well  put,  Carl," 
he  said,  "  but  I  wonder  how  much  Louis  and  Harvey 
have  to  do  with  your  anxiety  to  remain  ?  But  you 
may  do  as  you  wish,  and  I  shall  reserve  a  stateroom 
for  your  mother  and  Harold.  Now  that  this  is 
settled,  I  wish  you  to  take  the  next  dummy  back  to 
La  Punta,  and  tell  your  mother  what  has  occurred  ; 
then  help  her  all  you  can  with  the  packing.  I  shall 


198  INCALAND. 

be  home  early  this  afternoon,"  and  he  turned  in  the 
direction  of  the  Pacific  Steam  Navigation  Company's 
offices,  while  his  son  kept  on  to  the  railroad  station. 

As  Captain  Saunders  was  leaving,  after  having 
secured  the  quarters  on  the  Panama  steamer,  he  met 
John  Dartmoor  and  Seiior  Cisneros. 

"Are  you  going  to  send  Mrs.  Dartmoor  to  the 
States?"  he  asked. 

"  No.  I  should  like  to,  but  she  and  Rosita  would 
prefer  to  remain  and  move  to  Lima  in  the  event  of 
open  hostilities.  The  sefior  and  I  are  about  to 
engage  a  berth  for  some  one  who  must  go  to  the 
States  and  arrange  to  secure  working  capital  for 
our  mine.  Saturday's  boat  will  be  the  last  out,  you 
know." 

"  Yes,  so  I  heard  Captain  Brown  say,  and  I  came 
here  at  once  to  engage  passage  for  Mrs.  Saunders." 

"  I  am  very  sorry  to  learn  that  she  is  going,  but  I 
think  you  are  wise.  We  may  see  some  pretty  tight 
times  here." 

"  There's  little  doubt  of  it." 

"  Are  both  boys  going  ?  " 

"No,  Carl  remains  with  me." 

"That  will  delight  Louis  and  Harvey.  And  by 
the  way,  Saunders,  I  am  going  to  move  back  to  my 
old  home  in  Chucuito  this  week.  Suppose  you  and 
Carl  come  and  live  with  us  after  Mrs.  Saunders  and 
Harold  leave  ;  or  at  least  make  us  a  visit." 


BLOCKADE   OF   CALLAO   HARBOR.  199 

"  I  should  be  very  pleased,  Dartmoor  ;  that  is,  to 
visit  until  I  can  find  suitable  quarters." 

"Do  so,  then." 

That  evening  a  meeting  was  held  of  those  inter 
ested  in  the  Bella  mine  —  for  so  Captain  Cisneros 
had  insisted  upon  naming  the  property  after  he  had 
learned  the  true  story  of  the  pincushion  in  Harvey's 
pocket.  It  was  decided  that  both  Hope-Jones  and 
Ferguson  should  go  to  New  York,  for  the  purpose  of 
interesting  capitalists  ;  that  Senor  Cisneros  should 
return  to  the  interior,  and  that  Mr.  Dartmoor  should 
attend  to  the  company's  interests  in  Callao  and 
Lima. 

So  it  happened  that  when  the  last  steamship  sailed 
from  Callao  before  the  blockade  commenced,  Harvey 
waved  an  adieu  from  a  small  boat  to  the  two  young 
men  with  whom  he  had  passed  such  adventurous 
times  in  the  interior  ;  and  from  another  boat  Captain 
Saunders  and  Carl  fluttered  handkerchiefs  and  were 
answered  with  love  signals  waved  by  Mrs.  Saunders 
and  Harold. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

DARNING   THE   NEEDLE. 

THE  darkest  period  in  Peruvian  history  was  the 
year  1880.  Defeated  on  sea  and  on  land,  the 
nation  had  drawn  its  forces  toward  the  centre  and 
awaited  a  final  struggle  near  historic  Lima,  the  City 
of  the  Kings. 

But  the  Chileans,  triumphant,  were  in  no  haste  to 
follow  up  the  victories  of  Tarapaca,  Tacna,  Arica,  and 
Point  Angamos  ;  they  realized  the  enervating  influ 
ences  that  always  are  at  work  in  an  army  that  is 
inactive  and  on  the  defensive  ;  and  although  as  early 
as  January  nothing  hindered  the  northward  move 
ment  of  their  land  forces,  they  refrained  from  strik 
ing  the  decisive  blow,  and  passed  the  time  perfecting 
the  transport  service,  increasing  the  efficiency  of  the 
troops  and  laying  by  stores  of  munitions  of  war. 

The  blockade  of  Callao,  established  toward  the 
close  of  1879,  was  maintained  without  interruption, 
and  the  harbor,  which  only  two  years  before  had 
been  second  only  to  San  Francisco  in  commercial 

200 


DARNING   THE   NEEDLE.  201 

importance  on  the  west  coast  of  the  Americas,  be 
came  a  drear  waste  of  water,  for  not  a  vessel,  of  sail 
or  steam,  was  permitted  to  enter,  unless  it  might  be 
an  occasional  war-ship  of  a  neutral  power  ;  nor  could 
any  craft  depart  after  the  expiration  of  the  forty- 
eight  hours  which  the  Chilean  admiral  had  given 
as  notification. 

During  those  two  days  and  two  nights,  craft  of  all 
description  and  flying  flags  of  all  nations  prominent 
in  the  maritime  world  put  to  sea  and  sailed  north 
or  south,  some  laden,  but  the  majority  in  ballast; 
and  when  the  last  one  had  departed  and  the  enemy's 
cordon  was  close  drawn  in  the  offing,  the  Bay  of 
Callao  reflected  only  one  story  —  the  death  of  com 
merce. 

Where  two  hundred  ships  had  swung  at  anchor,  a 
Peruvian  sloop  or  an  abandoned  bark  rose  sluggishly 
with  the  ground  swell ;  where  once  was  seen  the  men- 
of-war  of  the  Peruvian  navy,  awaiting  the  word  from 
Lima  to  dash  south,  now  appeared  only  the  wooden 
corvette  Union,  the  obsolete  coast  defence  monitor 
Atahuallpa,  and  the  school-ship  Maria  Theresa  ;  once 
there  was  constant  danger  of  collision  in  the  harbor, 
because  of  the  press  of  small  boats  —  cutters,  gigs, 
and  barges,  propelled  by  oars  ;  steam  launches  dart 
ing  here  and  there,  whistles  blowing  lustily  ;  lighters 
moving  slowly  as  long  sweeps  were  pushed,  and  sail 
boats  gliding  with  white  wings  outstretched,  —  now 


202  INCALAND. 

the  appearance  of  even  a  rowboat  caused  conjec 
ture. 

Before  Harvey's  departure  for  the  interior,  the 
bay  had  been  a  never  ending  source  of  delight  to  the 
three  boys ;  indeed,  it  had  appealed  to  all  foreign 
residents,  as  well  as  to  the  natives,  but  to  none  more 
than  to  the  members  of  the  Callao  Rowing  Club,  for 
the  placid  waters  permitted  their  going  some  dis 
tance  from  the  shore,  even  in  the  racing  shells,  and 
the  trade  wind  not  reaching  the  water  near  the 
beach  line,  and  the  surface  not  being  ruffled,  it  was 
possible  to  feather  the  spoon  oars  by  sliding  them, 
even  as  is  done  on  pond  and  river.  After  the 
blockade  was  established,  Carl,  Louis,  and  Harvey 
occasionally  went  out  for  spins ;  but  the  wide  waste 
of  harbor  had  little  attraction,  and  they  soon  aban 
doned  visits  to  the  boat-house  at  Los  Banos,  pre 
ferring  to  take  their  recreation  in  the  fields,  on 
horseback,  or  in  some  of  the  games  that  had  been 
introduced  from  the  United  States  and  England. 

Other  members  of  the  club  felt  the  same  about 
rowing  in  the  bay ;  and  a  fortnight  after  the  Chilean 
vessels  appeared  in  the  offing,  the  governing  board 
decided  to  close  the  boat-house  until  peace  should 
be  declared  and  normal  conditions  be  restored  in 
Callao.  So  the  shells,  practice  boats,  canoes,  and 
the  sail-boat  were  carefully  housed  in  the  large  cov 
ered  barge  that  was  anchored  a  short  distance  from 


DARNING  THE  NEEDLE.  203 

shore  ;  the  doors  were  securely  fastened,  and  Pedro, 
the  keeper,  was  told  he  would  have  to  seek  other 
employment.  The  members  removed  their  effects 
from  the  lockers  in  the  apartments  which  had  been 
rented  from  the  owner  of  the  Bafios  del  Oroya,  and 
the  lease  to  these  shore  quarters  was  surrendered. 
But  the  Callao  Rowing  Club  did  not  disband.  The 
organization  was  maintained,  and  to-day  it  is  a  flour 
ishing  athletic  association,  famous  up  and  down  the 
West  Coast. 

In  naval  parlance  ships  are  "  darning  the  needle  " 
when  they  steam  back  and  forth  before  a  harbor, 
out  of  the  reach  of  shore  batteries,  yet  near  enough 
to  prevent  entrance  and  departure  of  vessels.  This 
is  what  the  Chileans  did  day  after  day,  week  after 
week,  and  month  after  month,  and  it  became  an 
accustomed  sight  to  see  their  low,  black  hulls  in  the 
offing,  steam  rising  lazily  from  the  funnels. 

The  vessels  first  on  blockade  duty  were  the  Blanco 
Encalada,  which  flew  the  admiral's  pennant,  the 
Huascar,  the  Angamos,  the  Pilcomayo,  and  the 
Mathias  Cousino.  Others  were  added  after  a  time, 
and  there  were  frequent  changes  in  the  squadron; 
but  the  little  Huascar  was  kept  on  the  station  as 
an  aggravation  to  the  Peruvians.  The  Angamos 
was  a  cruiser  of  a  modern  type  and  armed  with  one 
rifle  gun,  which,  reports  said,  could  throw  a  shell 
from  Callao  to  Lima  —  eight  miles. 


204  INCALAND. 

The  monotony  of  the  blockade  was  broken  after 
the  first  month  by  a  short  bombardment  of  Callao, 
which  was  brought  about  by  the  Chucuito  forts 
opening  upon  a  steam  launch  from  the  Blanco 
Encalada,  that  ran  in  close  to  La  Punta,  evidently 
to  reconnoitre  the  shore  battery  there.  The  shots 
from  the  land  guns  were  fired  at  six  o'clock  in  the 
evening,  and  the  Chilean  squadron  steamed  into  the 
harbor  one  hour  later.  The  first  broadside  from 
out  in  the  bay  was  followed  by  a  panic  in  the  sea- 
coast  city  and  a  wild  rush  of  the  residents  to  escape 
into  the  environs.  Among  the  thousands  who  fled 
from  their  homes  were  Mr.  Dartmoor  and  the  mem 
bers  of  his  family  and  Captain  Saunders  and  Carl. 
After  that  exciting  night,  most  of  which  was  passed 
in  the  fields,  they  and  many  others  moved  to  Lima 
and  only  visited  Callao  during  the  day. 

Little  damage  was  done  by  the  bombardment ; 
only  a  few  houses  were  destroyed,  and  no  loss  of  life 
was  reported.  But  the  brief  engagement  was  sig 
nalled  by  as  remarkable  an  incident  as  any  ever 
related  concerning  war  times,  and  the  story  thereof 
is  told  in  Callao  to  this  day.  Immediately  after 
dinner  that  evening  the  daughter  of  an  American 
bookseller  sat  down  before  the  piano  in  the  parlor 
of  her  father's  home  and  commenced  playing.  After 
rendering  one  of  Mozart's  compositions  she  swung 
around  on  the  stool,  in  order  that  she  might  easily 


DARNING   THE  NEEDLE.  205 

reach  for  more  sheet  music,  and  the  motion  brought 
her  feet  and  lower  limbs  from  beneath  the  instru 
ment.  At  that  instant  the  Blanco  Encalada  opened 
fire  out  in  the  bay,  and  a  shot  from  one  of  her  guns, 
flying  shoreward,  pierced  the  side  of  this  residence, 
cut  through  the  piano  stool,  as  neatly  as  would  a 
buzz-saw,  crushed  the  lower  part  of  the  piano,  and 
made  its  exit  through  another  wall.  The  young 
woman  fell  upon  the  floor  unharmed.  Had  she  not 
swung  partly  around  her  legs  would  have  been  shot 
away.  No  other  residence  of  any  consequence  was 
struck  that  night,  the  dwellings  destroyed  being 
ramshackle  structures. 

One  week  later  an  attempt  was  made  at  midnight 
to  destroy  the  monitor  Atahuallpa  with  a  torpedo, 
but  side-nets  had  been  lowered  around  the  war-ship, 
and  the  submarine  engine  was  caught  in  the  meshes, 
where  it  exploded,  throwing  water  on  board.  The 
report  caused  alarm  in  the  city,  but  investigation 
proved  that  no  damage  had  been  done.  Attempts 
were  made  later  in  January  to  destroy  the  Union, 
and  they  also  failed.  Short  bombardments  became 
of  more  frequency,  and  those  who  remained  in 
Callao  grew  accustomed  to  the  gun-fire  and  the 
whistling  of  shot  and  shell. 

Thus  passed  the  late  summer  and  early  spring  of 
1880.  With  each  succeeding  week  the  value  of  food 
products  increased,  for  no  supplies  came  into  port, 


206  INCALAND. 

and  the  irrigated  lands  were  not  of  sufficient  area  to 
furnish  all  vegetable  products  that  were  required. 
Demand  was  made  on  the  interior,  but  the  means 
of  transportation  were  so  poor  that  articles  thus 
brought  commanded  almost  prohibitive  prices.  Eggs 
were  sold  for  two  and  three  dollars  a  dozen,  and 
meat  became  worth  almost  that  sum  per  pound ; 
potatoes,  even  in  the  land  of  their  birth,  brought 
fancy  prices,  and  milk  and  butter  were  soon  not 
obtainable.  But  rice  and  corn  were  in  plenty,  so 
that,  although  the  majority  were  compelled  to  deny 
themselves  a  variety  of  diet,  there  was  no  fear  of 
starvation. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 
JOHN  LONGMORE'S  REVENGE. 

SEROR  CISNEROS  returned  from  the  interior 
toward  the  latter  end  of  January,  and  immedi 
ately  after  the  report  of  the  surveyor  and  the  deputy 
inspector  had  been  filed,  a  patent  was  issued  to  the 
Bella  Mining  Company  of  Callao  and  New  York,  to 
dig  ores  from  the  district  which  had  been  chartered 
and  to  extract  precious  metals  therefrom. 

Beyond  this  action,  which  secured  the  claim,  noth 
ing  could  be  done  until  peace  should  be  declared. 
Hope-Jones  and  Ferguson  undoubtedly  had  inter 
ested  capitalists  of  the  United  States,  but  it  was 
impossible  for  the  Englishman  and  American  to  re- 
enter  Callao ;  and  it  was  equally  impossible  for  them 
to  communicate  with  their  associates  in  Peru,  because 
all  mail  service  had  ceased  with  the  establishment  of 
the  blockade. 

The  fact  that  mining  operations  had  been  delayed 
did  not  greatly  inconvenience  the  Dartmoors,  for  the 
banks  of  Lima  were  only  too  glad  to  come  to  their 

207 


208 


LNCALAND. 


assistance.  And  at  that  period  occurred  a  demand 
for  agricultural  implements,  so  great  that  the  receiver 
who  had  control  of  the  bankrupt  hardware  store 
reported  rapidly  increasing  business,  notwithstand 
ing  the  fact  that  Callao  was  often  under  fire;  and 
with  the  consent  of  local  creditors  he  engaged  the 
former  owner  of  the  establishment  to  conduct  the 
new  trade,  which  promised  soon  to  pay  all  indebted 
ness  and  leave  a  profit. 

Mr.  Dartmoor  regretted  that  he  had  not  sent  his 
wife  and  children  to  the  States,  when  he  saw  how 
the  war  promised  to  drag  along ;  and  Captain  Saun- 
ders  was  sorry  that  he  had  not  insisted  upon  Carl 
going  north  with  his  mother.  But  the  boys  were 
very  well  satisfied  to  remain.  Not  a  day  passed 
without  some  excitement  —  the  firing  upon  forts 
and  the  attacks  on  Avar-ships  at  anchor,  and  the 
kaleidoscopic  panorama  of  Lima,  which  was  the 
centre  of  a  brilliant  army  corps. 

The  Dartmoors  lived  in  the  capital  until  the  latter 
part  of  June,  when  the  bombardments  having  practi 
cally  ceased,  they  reopened  the  house  at  Chucuito 
and  lived  there  part  of  the  time.  Mrs.  Dartmoor  and 
Rosita  would  pass  several  days  in  each  week  in  the 
spacious  suburban  home,  returning  to  Lima  in  the 
evening;  but  Louis  and  Harvey  would  frequently  re 
main  all  night,  and  usually  Carl  Saunders  was  with 
them.  Although  the  boys  enjoyed  life  in  Lima  for 


JOHN  LONGMOKE'S  REVENGE.  209 

a  season,  they  were  happier  near  the  ocean,  for  all 
three  were  splendid  swimmers,  and  every  morning 
they  could  run  over  to  the  Santa  Rosa  beach  and 
have  a  dip  before  breakfast. 

On  one  of  these  occasions  —  it  was  the  morning 
of  July  3  —  they  left  home  somewhat  earlier  than 
usual ;  indeed,  it  was  a  half  hour  before  dawn,  for 
they  had  been  asked  to  go  to  Callao  immediately 
after  breakfast  and  assist  on  their  father's  books. 

"  Whew  !  "  exclaimed  Louis,  as  they  emerged  from 
the  house.  "  It's  rather  cold  for  a  dip,  isn't  it  ?  " 

"  The  water  is  warmer  than  the  air,  fortunately," 
said  Carl,  who  had  been  a  visitor  for  nearly  a  fort 
night  with  his  chums. 

"  And  a  brisk  run  will  put  us  in  condition,"  added 
Harvey.  "  So  let's  be  off !  " 

They  started  at  a  swinging  pace  to  cover  the  quar 
ter  mile,  which  was  the  width  of  the  peninsula  at 
this  point,  and  leaving  behind  them  the  rough  break 
ers  of  Mar  Bravo,  in  which  no  man  could  live,  they 
rapidly  neared  the  more  peaceful  shore  on  the  bay 
side,  where  bathing  was  safe  for  those  who  could 
swim. 

But  they  did  not  take  a  "  dip  "  on  this  morning  ; 
instead  they  became  witnesses  to  a  tragedy,  one  of 
the  tragedies  of  history. 

For,  as  the  lads  swung  down  beneath  the  Santa 
Rosa  fort,  toward  the  line  where  the  rollers  break, 


210  INCALAND. 

they  saw  a  number  of  forms  gathered  on  the  beach, 
and  a  sentinel's  call  to  "  halt "  brought  them  to  a 
sudden  stand. 

An  officer  came  running  up,  a  very  small  officer, 
who,  as  soon  as  he  saw  who  the  intruders  were, 
exclaimed,  "  Good  morning,  boys  "  ;  and  recogniz 
ing  General  Matajente,  they  at  once  felt  at  their 
ease. 

"  You  are  out  rather  early,  are  you  not  ?  "  he  asked. 
"  But  you  are  in  time  to  witness  something  that  I 
am  sure  will  interest  you.  How  would  you  like  to 
see  the  Blanco  Encalada  blown  out  of  water  ?  " 

This  question  was  asked  in  a  whisper ;  and  without 
waiting  for  it  to  be  answered,  the  diminutive  general 
turned  and  walked  down  to  the  beach,  closely  fol 
lowed  by  the  three  thoroughly  astonished  and  inter 
ested  lads. 

A  dozen  officers  and  a  score  of  soldiers  and  sailors 
were  gathered  near  the  water  line ;  but  towering 
above  them  all  was  a  figure  that  the  boys  at  once 
recognized  in  the  growing  light,  and  Harvey,  ex 
claiming  :  uWhy  that's  John  Longmore  !  I  haven't 
seen  him  since  the  Huascar  was  captured  !  "  darted 
forward  and  seized  his  old-time  friend  by  the  hand. 

The  man  thus  addressed  had  once  been  a  recluse 
on  San  Lorenzo  Island,  having  lived  there  in  solitude 
from  the  time  of  his  wife's  death  until  the  outbreak 
of  the  war  with  Chile.  He  was  an  American  by 


JOHN  LONGMORE'S  REVENGE.  211 

birth,  but  he  had  so  loved  his  Peruvian  wife,  for 
whom  he  had  abandoned  the  sea,  that  for  her  sake 
he  had  sworn  allegiance  to  this  South  American 
country. 

When  war  had  been  declared  he  enlisted  on  board 
the  Huascar  and  was  one  of  the  crew  during  all  her 
famous  engagements.  Wounded  during  the  fight  off 
Point  Angamos,  he  was  sent  home ;  and  soon  there 
after  he  followed  Captain  Matajente  into  the  ranks 
of  Pierola's  forces,  and  took  part  in  the  famous  charge 
upon  the  artillery  in  Lima. 

The  boys  had  known  him  while  he  lived  on  San 
Lorenzo  Island,  frequently  rowing  over  to  the 
rugged  place  where  his  hermit's  hut  was  perched  ; 
they  had  been  with  him  during  some  of  the  exciting 
scenes  of  the  early  war  and  had  witnessed  his  daring 
in  Lima.  But  since  old  John  had  become  a  captain 
in  the  Peruvian  army  they  had  not  met  him  as  fre 
quently,  and  a  week  before  Harvey's  return  he  had 
been  sent  north  on  recruiting  duty  ;  so  the  lad  had 
not  been  able  to  greet  him  until  this  morning. 

He  grasped  Harvey  cordially  by  the  hand, 
exchanged  a  few  words  with  him,  then  with  Carl 
and  Louis,  and  finally  saying,  "You  are  just  in 
time,"  he  left  them  to  attend  to  the  work  in  hand. 

A  remarkable  sight  met  their  gaze  when  they 
turned  from  greeting  their  old-time  friend  to  learn 
what  was  going  forward.  For  a  space  of  several 


212  INCALAND. 

yards  the  beach  appeared  to  have  been  transformed 
into  a  market  stall.  The  sand  and  stones  were  cov 
ered  with  meats  and  fresh  vegetables,  of  a  quality 
that  would  have  made  them  tempting  even  before 
the  blockade  had  transformed  ordinary  food  prod 
ucts  into  delicacies,  and  of  a  quantity  that  bespoke 
a  large  outlay  of  money.  Rich  red  shoulders  of 
beef,  the  fat  white  and  firm,  told  of  the  slaughter  of 
a  young  Andean  bull  ;  rounded  joints  of  lamb  and 
mutton  spoke  of  importations  from  the  fertile  graz 
ing  lands  of  the  interior.  Quail,  snipe,  and  plover, 
which  all  knew  must  have  come  from  the  mountain 
valleys,  were  piled  promiscuously,  and  so  were  barn 
yard  fowl  of  the  western  slope.  There  was  much 
green  stuff  in  sight  —  corn,  sweet  potatoes,  cauli 
flower,  and  beans  ;  baskets  were  filled  with  tomatoes, 
paltas,  and  the  tempting  chirimoyas. 

The  boys  looked  upon  all  this  in  astonishment, 
marvelling  equally  concerning  the  use  to  which  it 
was  about  to  be  put,  and  the  means  by  which  it  had 
been  procured.  In  the  rapidly  growing  light,  they 
saw  other  strange  sights  —  articles  in  marked  con 
trast  with  the  wealth  of  edibles  :  barrels  marked 
"  gunpowder  "  and  kegs  filled  with  even  more  pow 
erful  explosives.  Near  these  was  a  peculiar  ma 
chine,  resembling  druggists'  scales  inverted,  and 
minus  the  weighing  pans.  Drawn  up  on  the  beach, 
so  that  only  the  stern  rested  in  the  water,  was  a 


JOHN  LONGMORE'S  REVENGE.  213 

large  lighter.  A  number  of  sentinels  surrounded 
this  strange  conglomeration  and  also  the  soldiers, 
sailors,  and  officers  of  both  army  and  navy,  who 
were  gathered  near. 

"  Harvey,"  said  General  Matajente,  approaching 
the  boys,  "it's  lucky  you  came.  Can  you  tell  us 
what  time  the  tide  turns  ?  Since  Captain  Longmore 
and  I  left  the  navy,  to  join  the  land  forces,  we  have 
not  kept  posted  on  such  matters." 

It  was  not  unusual  for  persons  to  appeal  to  the 
younger  Dartmoor  boy  for  information  concerning 
conditions  in  the  bay.  For  three  years  before  going 
into  the  interior,  he  had  made  them  a  special  study, 
and  had  found  that  the  information  so  gained  aided 
him  greatly  when  acting  as  coxswain  in  regattas. 
After  removing  from  Lima  to  Chucuito,  he  had 
resumed  these  observations,  probably  more  from 
force  of  habit  than  other  reason,  and  so  he  was  able 
to  answer  promptly,  "  At  twenty-nine  minutes  after 
six,  sir." 

"  Then  we  have  no  time  to  lose.  Captain,  as  this 
is  your  idea,  I  wish  you  to  take  command  here  and 
carry  out  your  plans." 

At  the  order  from  General  Matajente,  Old  John 
—  the  boys  could  not  think  of  him  save  as  Old 
John,  the  sailor,  although  he  was  now  an  artillery 
officer  —  stepped  forward,  and  by  his  command  work 
was  begun.  The  object  of  their  endeavor  at  first 


214  INCALAND. 

puzzled  the  lads,  but  in  a  few  minutes  all  became 
quite  clear. 

Sailors  and  soldiers  rolled  the  barrels  and  kegs  of 
explosives  to  the  side  of  the  lighter,  and  the  larger 
ones  were  lifted  into  the  hull  and  placed  amidships. 
Also  into  the  hull  went  Old  John,  who  was  handed 
the  peculiar  mechanical  contrivance,  and  the  boys, 
who  were  permitted  to  peer  over  the  sides,  saw  him 
make  fast  the  base  to  the  floor  of  the  craft,  then  busy 
himself  adjusting  the  arms,  to  one  of  which  they  saw 
a  spring  had  been  attached.  The  kegs  of  explosives 
were  now  passed  in  and  placed  nearer  the  peculiar 
machine  than  had  been  the  barrels,  then  Captain 
Longmore,  still  remaining  within  the  lighter,  directed 
that  the  provisions  be  handed  to  him. 

The  more  bulky  of  these,  such  as  the  shoulders  of 
beef,  were  distributed  on  the  bottom  of  the  boat,  but 
arranged  in  such  a  manner  that  portions  of  their  sur 
face  would  show  above  the  mass  of  green  stuff  that 
was  soon  thrown  in.  Although  the  beef,  mutton, 
potatoes,  cauliflower,  and  the  other  vegetables  were 
stowed  away  in  bow  and  stern  with  apparent  care 
lessness,  more  attention  was  given  to  the  placing  of 
the  products  amidships,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  explo 
sives,  and  above  the  mechanism  a  space  about  a  foot 
in  diameter  was  kept  open. 

The  game,  the  fruit,  and  the  smaller  vegetables 
were  placed  in  tempting  array  on  top  of  the  coarser 


JOHN  LONGMORE'S  REVENGE.      215 

products,  and  after  adjusting  the  edibles  to  his  satis 
faction,  John  Longmore  sprang  out  and  called  all  the 
sailors  round  him. 

"  Now,  in  with  her,  men  !  But  carefully,  so  as  not 
to  dislodge  the  cargo  !  Wade  out  beyond  the  line 
of  breakers  and  hold  her  there,  steady,  until  I  come." 

They  formed  ten  deep  on  each  side  of  the  craft,  and 
slowly  pushed  her  down  the  beach  and  into  the  water ; 
then,  following  orders,  they  waded  out  until  the  bow 
was  about  ten  feet  from  shore.  The  big  boat  rose 
and  fell  on  the  glassy  rollers,  and  was  kept  in  place  by 
the  sailors,  who  held  firmly  to  the  gunwales. 

"  What  time  is  it,  sir  ?  "  asked  Old  John. 

"  Exactly  half-past  six,"  replied  General  Mata- 
jente. 

"Then  the  tide  has  turned  and  is  on  the  ebb. 
Shall  I  let  her  go,  sir  ?  " 

"  Yes,  if  all  is  in  readiness." 

"  In  a  moment,  sir,  as  soon  as  I  attach  this,"  and 
he  held  up  a  percussion  cap  ;  "  and  this,"  and  he 
displayed  a  small  shoulder  of  lamb. 

Strange  combination  !  thought  the  boys  as  they  saw 
i  hese  last  articles  needed  to  complete  the  engine  of 
death  that  was  about  to  be  set  sailing  under  the  most 
alluring  flag  of  peace  —  agriculture ;  and  they 
watched  intently  as  the  gaunt  seaman  strode  through 
the  surf  to  the  side  of  the  lighter,  then  climbed  on 
board. 


216  INCALAND. 

The  morning  was  misty,  but  at  such  a  short  dis 
tance  from  shore  he  was  easily  discernible,  bending 
over  and  moving  his  hands  and  arms.  He  was  not 
engaged  in  this  for  more  than  two  minutes,  then  lie 
dropped  over  the  side,  and  called  out,  "  Push  her 
off,  men  !  " 

Old  John  waded  ashore,  and  the  lighter,  loaded 
with  explosives  and  disguised  with  market  gardeners' 
truck,  with  the  choice  from  butchers'  stalls,  with 
delicacies  from  the  fruiterers ;  yes,  even  with  a  few 
flowers,  which  were  strewn  carelessly  on  top,  as  if 
placed  there  by  some  one  who  had  given  them 
as  a  memento  to  the  owner  of  the  cargo  —  this  engine 
of  death  drifted  slowly  into  the  mist,  out  toward  the 
sea,  borne  by  the  ebb  tide. 

The  artillery  captain  spoke  for  a  moment  with 
General  Matajente,  then  turned  to  the  boys  and  bade 
them  good-by,  saying  that  he  must  go  to  the  castles. 

"  But  first,  woivt  you  please  tell  us  what  you  did 
when  you  went  on  the  lighter  while  the  men  were 
holding  her  ?  "  asked  Harvey.  "  We  saw  what  was 
done  on  shore,  but  cannot  understand  what  fol 
lowed." 

"  Certainly,  my  lad.  You  noticed  that  I  carried 
a  percussion  cap  and  a  shoulder  of  lamb?  " 

"Yes." 

"  I  placed  the  meat  on  the  arm  of  the  machine  to 
which  the  spring  is  made  fast,  and  the  percussion  cap 


The  engine  of  death  drifted  slowly  into  the  mist." 


JOHN  LONGMOKE'S  REVENGE.  217 

upon  an  open  keg  of  powder,  beneath  the  other  arm. 
Do  you  understand?  " 

"  Yes,  I  think  so.  When  the  piece  of  lamb  is  lifted 
the  spring  will  fly  up,  the  opposite  arm  will  descend, 
explode  the  cap,  and " 

"Exactly,"  the  captain  said. 

"  But  could  not  a  person  see  all  this  arrangement 
and  suspect  something?"  asked  Louis.  "You  left 
quite  a  space  there." 

"  That  is  all  filled  in,  and  I  put  the  most  tempting 
game  and  fruit  right  above  the  powder." 

"Then,"  said  Carl,  slowly,  "you  expect  the  boat 
will  drift  far  out  in  the  bay ;  will  be  sighted  by  one 
of  the  ships  on  blockade  ;  that  an  attempt  will  be 
made  to  take  the  stuff  on  board,  and  all  hands  will 
be  blown  to  kingdom  come  ?  " 

"That  is  what  I  hope,  my  lad." 

"  It's  horrible  !  "  said  Harvey. 

Old  John  laughed  in  a  peculiar  manner  and  walked 
away. 

As  the  boys  were  going  slowly  up  the  beach,  Carl 
said :  — 

"Did  you  notice  the  change  in  Old  John?  I 
believe  he's  insane." 

"  So  do  I,"  said  Louis. 

"And  I,"  echoed  Harvey.  "The  old  whaler  we 
once  knew  on  San  Lorenzo  couldn't  have  planned 
such  a  trick." 


218 


INCALAND. 


They  had  not  gone  far  before  they  were  joined  b;y 
General  Matajente.  He  walked  on  in  silence  until 
they  reached  the  La  Punta  road,  then  they  heard 
him  mutter  :  — 

"  I  don't  like  it  one  bit,  boys ;  I  don't  like  it  one 
bit." 

"Don't  like  what,  general  ?  " 

"  That  business  down  on  the  beach." 

"  Why  then  did  you  permit  it,  sir  ?  " 

"  Orders,  my  boy,  orders.  It  was  not  the  old 
boatswain  who  suggested  the  plan  to  a  naval  officer, 
but  a  captain  in  the  artillery  arm  who  went  to  head 
quarters.  John  Longmore  told  the  people  in  the 
palace  at  Lima  of  his  plan,  and  I  was  sent  down  here 
to  oversee  the  operations." 

"Then  you  do  not  approve  of  what  has  been 
done?" 

"  Orders,  my  boy,  orders,"  was  his  only  reply. 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

JOHN  LONGMOEE'S  REVENGE  (continued). 

WHEN  the  sun  was  an  hour  high  the  mist  faded 
away  ;  the  gray  mantle  disappeared,  and 
Callao  Bay  became  of  two  colors,  a  green  within  the 
space  of  an  imaginary  arc  extending  from  the  tip  of 
La  Punta  to  Los  Banos,  and  a  blue  beyond,  as  far  as 
San  Lorenzo,  where  it  merged  into  the  indigo  of  the 
immensity  of  waters. 

Upon  the  surface  of  the  green,  circling  around 
occasionally  when  caught  by  a  surface  current,  but 
steadily  moving  with  the  tide,  was  a  market  gar 
dener's  lighter,  crowded  from  keel  to  gunwales  with 
every  variety  of  produce.  Such  a  sight  had  not  been 
witnessed  for  more  than  six  months,  not  since  those 
ships,  discernible  far  in  the  offing,  had  enforced  the 
closing  of  the  port.  Before  that  time  these  lighters 
had  been  frequently  rowed  and  sailed  over  the  bay, 
moving  toward  the  heart  of  the  city  from  the  fertile 
region  of  the  Rimac  on  the  north. 

When  men  saw  what  manner  of  craft  was  adrift 

219 


220  INCALAND. 

they  rubbed  their  eyes,  to  make  sure  that  sleep  was 
not  with  them  and  conjuring  a  fanciful  vision  in 
a  dream.  No,  the  boat  was  still  there,  rising  and 
falling  on  the  slowly  undulating  rollers  and  moving 
ever  toward  the  open.  Then  between  La  Punta's 
tip  and  the  northern  shore  perhaps  a  dozen  persons 
sprang  into  skiffs,  whitehalls,  and  wherries,  and  let 
fall  oars  to  race  for  the  prize. 

"  Halt !  "  called  a  soldier  standing  on  the  beach 
near  the  big,  smooth  guns  on  The  Point. 

"  Halt ! "  An  infantryman  levelled  his  rifle  beneath 
the  forts  at  Chucuito. 

"  Halt  !  "  yelled  a  red-uniformed  guard,  stationed 
on  the  mole  in  Callao. 

"  Halt  !  "  A  boatman  who  was  pushing  off  from 
Los  Banos  dropped  his  oars  and  came  back  on  shore. 

"  Halt  !  Halt  !  Halt  !  "  was  heard  at  intermedi 
ary  points,  for  around  all  the  sweep  of  land  border 
ing  the  bay  stood  sentinels,  and  their  orders  were  to 
permit  no  man's  interference  with  the  progress  sea 
ward  of  that  lighter  laden  with  garden  truck. 

From  these  guardsmen  was  learned  the  nature  of 
the  craft  that  was  so  jealously  watched,  and  the  news 
spread  with  lightning  rapidity  over  the  city  of  Cal 
lao,  to  Bella  Vista  and  haciendas  adjoining,  to  Mira- 
flores,  to  Chorillas,  and  all  over  Lima ;  and  from  there 
it  was  wafted  up  the  mountains  to  Chosica  and  even 
to  Matucana. 


JOHN  LONGMORE'S  REVENGE.      221 

Peru  was  to  be  revenged  !  That  was  the  keynote 
of  the  message,  and  then  followed  in  more  or  less  ex 
aggerated  form  an  account  of  what  had  been  done 
and  what  was  the  expected  sequel.  Revenge !  After 
having  been  humiliated  in  the  south  by  many  de 
feats,  after  suffering  from  blockade  —  which  is  a 
thumb-screw  torture  inflicted  by  one  nation  upon 
another  —  and  after  being  insulted  by  the  flaunting 
in  their  face  of  the  lone  star  flags  hoisted  on  the 
Huascar  and  the  Pilcomayo  ;  after  all  these  had  oc 
curred  and  all  this  time  had  elapsed,  Peru  was  at  last 
to  be  revenged  ! 

The  Chilean  fleet  would  be  blown  out  of  the  water 
before  noon  I  This  was  the  word  which  was  sent 
from  mouth  to  mouth. 

Early  risers,  who  were  on  the  streets  soon  after 
dawn,  —  venders  of  water  and  venders  of  such  scant 
green  stuff  as  could  be  obtained,  —  hurried  to  the 
shore  and  dotted  the  beach  here  and  there,  gazing 
seaward  expectantly.  All  that  day  jackasses  wan 
dered  unattended  around  the  streets  of  Callao,  bray 
ing  mournfully,  and  bearing  on  their  backs  casks 
that  had  been  filled  from  the  river  Rimac,  or  baskets 
that  contained  plantains  and  coarse  vegetables. 

In  a  few  minutes  these  hucksters  and  providers 
of  the  day's  drinking  supply  were  joined  by  other 
men,  persons  who  lived  near  the  beach  and  had  run 
from  breakfast  tables  when  the  news  had  reached 


222  INCALAND. 

them  ;  some  were  only  half  dressed,  for  they  had 
jumped  from  their  beds  at  the  summons.  Then 
from  out  all  the  streets  of  the  seacoast  city  poured 
a  throng,  and  men  were  joined  by  women  and  chil 
dren.  A  solid  human  line  marked  the  entire  water 
front,  and  behind  it  formed  others.  Balconies  of 
buildings  that  faced  the  sea  were  rented  that  morn 
ing,  and  then  space  in  windows  was  sold.  Callao's 
shore  line  was  the  tier  of  a  gigantic  amphitheatre  ; 
the  bay  was  the  arena. 

A  severe  earthquake  shock  is  followed  by  an  exo 
dus  from  the  seacoast  to  Lima,  which  is  on  high 
ground  and  beyond  reach  of  a  tidal  wave.  At  such 
times  all  manner  of  equipages  are  pressed  into  ser 
vice  ;  railroad  trains  are  overcrowded,  and  those  who 
cannot  ride  in  car  or  carriage,  on  horses  or  mules,  run 
or  walk  along  the  road.  But  no  flight  from  the 
coast  to  Lima  ever  equalled  the  outpouring  from  the 
City  of  the  Kings  toward  Callao  on  this  morning  of 
July  3,  1880  ;  and  within  two  hours  after  the 
lighter  had  been  pushed  from  the  Chucuito  beach 
the  depopulation  of  the  capital  commenced,  and  a 
wave  of  humanity  swept  down  the  highway  and 
spread  out  over  the  pampas  country. 

After  taking  leave  of  General  Matajente,  the  boys 
had  directed  their  steps  toward  the  Dartmoor  resi 
dence  on  the  Mar  Bravo  side  of  the  peninsula,  and 
realizing  each  minute  more  and  more  vividly  the 


JOHN  LONGMORE'S  REVENGE.        223 

stupendousness  of  the  impending  tragedy,  they  in 
creased  their  speed  accordingly,  until,  when  the 
house  was  reached,  they  were  running  as  fast  as 
they  could;  and  bounding  up  the  stairs,  two  and 
three  at  a  time,  they  burst  into  the  dining  room, 
reaching  there  nearly  out  of  breath. 

Mr.  Dartmoor  was  at  breakfast,  and  with  him  at 
table  was  Captain  Saunders,  who  had  been  his  guest 
over  night.  The  men  listened  in  astonishment  to 
the  recital,  and  at  its  conclusion  the  iron  merchant 
said  :  — 

"No  business  can  be  transacted  this  day.  We 
may  as  well  go  to  Callao  and  witness  this  deplorable 
attempt  at  destruction  of  life  and  property." 

"  You  may  well  say  deplorable,"  remarked  Cap 
tain  Saunders.  "  Torpedo  warfare  is  to  be  regretted 
under  any  circumstances.  But  against  the  modern 
engines  of  destruction,  which  are  projected  beneath 
the  water,  the  enemy  has  some  means  of  defence. 
He  may  let  down  nets  at  the  sides  and  entangle  the 
projectile,  or  by  continual  vigilance  keep  his  ship 
from  being  struck.  Against  this  bomb-laden  mar 
ket  boat  there  is  no  defence-,  except  accidental  dis 
covery  of  its  true  character.  It  is  an  abominable 
trap,  and  if  any  one  is  killed  thereby,  it  will  be  cold 
blooded  murder." 

"  You  say  that  General  Matajente  did  not  approve 
the  action  ? "  asked  Mr.  Dartmoor. 


224  INCALAND. 

"  Indeed  he  did  not,  sir.  His  expression  told  us 
more  than  did  his  words,  however.  He  seemed  to 
be  thoroughly  disgusted." 

"  I  should  expect  as  much  from  him,  and  I  believe 
that  Peru  as  a  nation  will  not  approve  such  methods 
of  warfare.  Let  us  hope  this  attempt  will  not  suc 
ceed.  I  am  surprised,  though,  boys,  that  your  old 
friend  should  have  conceived  such  a  plot." 

"  That  man,  John  Longmore,  is  insane,"  said  Cap 
tain  Saunders,  with  emphasis.  "  He  has  been  in 
sane  ever  since  he  received  that  sabre  cut  on  board 
the  Huascar.  He  is  a  monomaniac  in  his  hatred  of 
Chileans." 

"  We  noticed  his  peculiar  actions  this  morning, 
father,"  said  Carl. 

The  boys  were  hastening  their  breakfast  while 
this  conversation  was  taking  place,  and  announced 
themselves  ready  for  departure  as  soon  as  their 
fathers  pushed  back  chairs  from  the  table. 

"  If  this  succeeds,  it  will  be  deplorable  for  another 
reason  than  the  immediate  loss  of  life,"  said  the  cap 
tain,  rising. 

"You  mean  because  of  a  postponement  of  peace 
negotiations  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  I  fear  you  are  correct." 

"  How  will  it  affect  the  peace  negotiations,  sir  ?  " 
Louis  asked. 


JOHN  LONGMORE'S  REVENGE.      225 

"  Because  the  Chileans  will  become  so  incensed  that 
they  will  not  listen  to  the  propositions  for  arbitration 
which  have  recently  been  made  by  commissioners 
sent  from  Washington.  Not  only  that,"  said  Cap 
tain  Saunders,  "  but  any  hope  of  Chile  abandoning 
her  idea  of  territorial  annexation  will  be  gone.  I 
prophesy  that  if  this  lighter,  armed  and  equipped 
by  John  Longmore,  does  any  considerable  damage 
in  the  Chilean  fleet,  that  Peru  will  pay  for  it  with 
the  province  of  Tarapaca." 

"  The  richest  province  ?  "  said  Harvey. 

"  Yes,  my  lad,  the  richest  nitrate  of  soda  country 
in  the  world." 

By  this  time  they  were  on  the  plank  road  that 
leads  from  Chucuito  to  Callao,  and  after  a  brisk 
walk  of  fifteen  minutes  reached  the  business  section. 
They  were  too  early  to  meet  the  mass  of  humanity 
that  later  surged  through  all  the  streets  ;  but  they 
encountered  some  hundreds  of  persons  who  were 
rushing  toward  the  water-front. 

"  This  will  be  a  gala  day,"  remarked  Captain 
Saunders. 

"  Yes,  until  the  truth  is  known,"  was  Mr.  Dart 
moor's  reply.  "  Then  you  will  see  a  reaction  and 
genuine  sorrow.  I  know  these  people,  I  have  lived 
among  them  since  we  parted  company  in  the  States, 
immediately  after  the  war  —  and,"  he  added  in  a 
low  tone,  "  I  married  one  of  them." 
Q 


226  INCALAND. 

"  Pardon  me,  my  old  friend,"  said  Captain  Saun- 
ders,  "  I  did  not  intend  to  wound  your  feelings.  I 
was  not  speaking  bitterly  of  the  Peruvians  as  a 
people,  but  of  those  who  are  responsible  for  this 
action  to-day." 

"  You  must  remember  that  an  American  suggested 
it." 

"  That  is  true,  John,  but  he  is  insane,  I  am  certain. 
Those  who  gave  it  the  stamp  of  approval  are  the 
guilty  ones." 

They  had  reached  the  large  building  owned  by 
the  English  Railroad  Company,  and  the  boys,  who 
had  walked  somewhat  in  advance,  stopped  in  front 
of  the  entrance  to  the  flight  of  steps  and  looked 
back  inquiringly. 

"  Yes,"  said  Captain  Saunders,  in  reply,  "  go 
ahead."  Then  he  added,  "  There's  no  better  place, 
is  there  ?  " 

"  No.     We  may  as  well  go  up  here." 

The  railroad  building  was  situated  on  the  beach, 
and  a  broad  balcony  on  the  second  floor  jutted  out 
over  the  water.  This  veranda  and  nearly  all  the 
rooms  on  the  floor  were  leased  by  the  English  Club. 
From  no  place,  except  the  tip  of  La  Punta,  could  a 
better  view  be  obtained  of  the  bay. 

Mounted  on  tripods  at  both  ends  of  this  open  space 
were  two  large  telescopes  ;  numerous  marine  glasses 
were  on  tables.  For  years,  until  1880,  these  club- 


227 

rooms  had  been  a  favorite  place  for  captains  of  the 
merchant  marine  and  naval  officers  to  lounge  during 
afternoons,  and  they  had  been  no  less  enjoyed  by 
the  Anglo-Saxon  residents  of  Callao  and  Lima. 

The  boys  hurried  to  the  railing  as  soon  as  they 
had  reached  the  veranda  and  looked  seaward.  Out 
in  the  offing,  darning  the  needle,  were  six  ships  on 
blockade  duty.  About  a  mile  from  shore,  heading 
well  out  from  the  Chucuito  beach,  was  what  appeared 
to  be  a  small  boat.  They  knew  it  was  the  lighter, 
and  glances  which  each  in  turn  took  through  one  of 
the  telescopes  showed  that  the  cargo  of  vegetables 
and  meats  had  not  been  disturbed.  It  was  the  only 
craft  moving  on  the  bay.  At  anchor,  but  safe  under 
the  forts,  were  the  monitor  Atahuallpa,  the  corvette 
Union,  and  the  training  ship  Maria  Theresa,  remnants 
of  the  Peruvian  navy.  Within  the  new  pier  were 
perhaps  a  score  of  vessels,  tied  up  until  the  blockade 
should  be  over.  Nothing  else  was  on  all  that  broad 
expanse  of  beautiful  harbor,  except  a  little  schooner, 
moored  at  a  buoy,  and  an  abandoned,  unseaworthy 
bark. 

For  several  weeks  after  the  blockade  had  been 
established,  the  members  thronged  the  club-house 
and  waited  their  turn  to  gaze  through  the  powerful 
lenses  at  the  ships  flying  the  lone  star  flag  ;  but  long 
before  July,  1880,  came  around,  the  enemy's  fleet  had 
ceased  to  attract  attention  ;  and  as  nothing  stirred 


228  INCALAND. 

in  the  bay,  the  men  shunned  the  balcony  because  the 
view  it  commanded  was  disheartening.  It  told  of  a 
dead  commerce,  of  stagnant  trade.  But  this  morn 
ing  all  those  who  possessed  the  little  blue  member 
ship  tickets  hastened  to  the  quarters,  and  many 
brought  friends,  so  that  within  an  hour  after  the 
arrival  of  Captain  Saunders,  Mr.  Dartmoor,  and  the 
boys,  the  place  was  overcrowded,  and  late  comers 
were  compelled  to  go  higher  and  seek  vantage  points 
in  windows  of  the  railway  company's  offices. 

The  Chucuito  party  was  fortunate,  both  in  arriv 
ing  early  and  in  being  joined  by  a  number  of  inti 
mate  friends,  for  they  were  enabled  to  take  possession 
of  one  of  the  large  telescopes,  and  hold  it  for  the 
morning. 

Don  Isaac  was  the  first  to  come,  and  he  listened 
attentively  to  the  recital  by  the  boys,  who  told  again, 
for  his  benefit,  of  the  strange  doings  at  the  break  of 
day  on  the  Chucuito  beach.  They  had  hardly  fin 
ished  when  Senor  Cisneros  appeared. 

"  What  is  this  I  hear  ?  Are  they  going  to  use  a 
torpedo  in  broad  daylight  ?  I  fear  it  will  prove  cer 
tain  death  for  the  crew  that  attempts  to  approach 
those  ships,"  and  he  pointed  seaward. 

Captain  Saunders  explained  that  the  torpedo  was 
not  of  the  kind  generally  launched  from  war  vessels, 
or  sent  from  shore,  and  he  briefly  described  the  con 
struction  of  John  Longmore's  engine  of  death.  The 


JOHN  LONGMORE'S  REVENGE.      229 

Peruvian's  face  flushed  while  he  listened  to  the  reci 
tal,  and  his  eyebrows  contracted. 

"  This  should  not  be  allowed  !  "  he  exclaimed. 
"  It  is  a  crime  !  Pierola  should  be  appealed  to  and 
asked  to  stop  this  slaughter." 

At  these  words  Mr.  Dartmoor  looked  at  Captain 
Saunders  triumphantly.  He  had  been  correct  in  his 
estimate  of  the  people.  First,  the  officer  who  had 
been  ordered  to  oversee  the  details  of  launching  the 
lighter  had  denounced  the  work  to  which  he  had 
been  assigned  ;  and  now  a  representative  citizen  from 
the  interior  deplored  the  event  in  even  more  ener 
getic  terms. 

It  was  too  late  to  stop  the  enactment  of  the 
tragedy,  too  late  to  appeal  to  Pierola.  The  fiendish 
plot,  hatched  in  the  crazed  brain  of  the  old  whaler, 
and  approved  by  a  hot-headed  official  in  Lima,  must 
go  forward.  The  boat  which  was  laden  with  mar 
ket  produce  had  drifted  two  miles  from  shore,  and 
was  nearing  the  line  where  the  green  water  of  the 
harbor  merged  into  the  blue  beyond  ;  as  it  passed 
from  one  colored  surface  to  the  other  events  began 
to  move  rapidly  —  and  all  the  while,  from  along  the 
shore,  came  the  buzz  of  the  many  thousands  who  had 
crowded  as  near  as  was  possible  to  the  water's  edge. 

"  Look  !  "  suddenly  exclaimed  Louis.  "  A  boat 
is  putting  off  from  the  mole  !  " 

"  It's  the  state  barge,"  said  Harvey,  after  a  glance 


230  INCALAND. 

through  the  marine  glasses.     "  I  wonder  what's  up 
now." 

The  question  was  soon  answered  by  the  craft  itself, 
which  was  rowed  alongside  the  Union.  Believing  it 
had  been  sent  out  only  to  carry  an  officer  back  to  his 
ship,  they  paid  no  more  attention  to  this  section  of 
the  harbor  until  Carl  called  attention  again  to  the 
corvette,  by  saying  that  a  steam  launch  had  put 
off  from  her  side.  Puffs  of  smoke  came  from  the 
short  stack  on  this  small  vessel,  and  after  swinging 
under  the  stern  of  the  Union  she  shaped  a  course 
out  toward  the  open. 

The  foreigners  on  the  club  veranda  looked  at  one 
another  in  amazement ;  the  natives  on  the  beach  set 
up  a  shout. 

"  Thank  God  !  "  fervently  exclaimed  Senor  Cis- 
neros.  "  They  are  going  to  tow  that  lighter  back  to 
the  shore." 

Out  steamed  the  launch,  at  full  speed,  sending 
spray  flying  at  the  sides  of  her  stem,  and  leaving 
astern  a  narrow  path  of  white  that  marked  where 
her  propeller  had  churned  the  water. 

Until  this  small  craft  appeared  in  the  bay,  the 
Chileans  had  evidently  given  no  heed  to  the  lighter 
that,  by  this  time,  had  well  entered  the  blue  ;  if  it 
had  been  sighted  by  them,  no  sign  to  that  effect  had 
been  made  ;  they  continued  to  steam  slowly  backward 
and  forward,  patrolling  the  entrance.  But  when  the 


JOHN  LONGMORE'S  REVENGE.      231 

launch  had  covered  half  the  distance  between  the 
shore  and  the  provision -laden  barge,  the  cruiser 
Mathias  Cousino,  which  at  that  time  happened  to  be 
the  nearest  to  La  Punta,  changed  her  course  and 
made  toward  the  harbor.  Ten  minutes  later  she 
fired  a  bow  gun,  and  the  shot  plunged  into  the  water 
not  far  from  the  launch. 

The  Peruvian  boat  at  once  put  about  and  made  for 
the  Union.  A  dense  cloud  of  smoke  from  her  stack 
told  that  the  stoker  on  board  was  using  all  his 
energy,  and  that  the  boiler  had  been  called  upon  for 
the  highest  pressure  it  could  stand. 

An  expression  of  disappointment  could  be  seen  on 
the  faces  of  Mr.  Dartmoor  and  Senor  Cisneros.  The 
crowd  shouted  again,  and  the  noise  made  by  the 
many  thousands  was  like  the  roar  of  a  train,  or  the 
rasping  of  stones  over  stones  on  a  beach  when  the  un 
dertow  sucks  them  back.  One  could  not  tell  whether 
this  shout  was  in  approval  or  disappointment. 

"  I  do  not  believe  it  was  ever  the  intention  to  have 
that  launch  tow  the  lighter  back  to  port,"  said  Cap 
tain  Saunders. 

"  You  do  not  ?  " 

"No." 

"  Why  did  she  go  out,  then  ?  " 

"It  was  a  ruse." 

"  But  what  could  have  been  the  object  ?  " 

"  That  ship's  manoeuvre  answers  your  question,"  and 


INCALAND. 


the  captain  pointed  to  the  Mathias  Comino,  which 
was  moving  slowly  toward  the  provision-laden  craft. 
"  The  Chileans  had  not  noticed  Old  John's  floating 
mine,  or  having  noticed  it  were  suspicious,"  he  added. 
"  The  launch  was  sent  to  attract  their  attention,  or  to 
lull  their  fears  by  an  apparent  anxiety  to  tow  the 
lighter  inshore." 

Whether  Captain  Saunders  had  surmised  correctly 
or  not  was  never  known  in  Callao  ;  the  instructions 
given  the  officer  in  command  of  the  launch  were  not 
made  public. 

Every  eye  had  been  turned  in  the  direction  of  the 
Chilean  cruiser  that  had  left  her  station,  and  as  she 
came  within  a  mile  of  the  barge,  men  on  the  club 
balcony  climbed  on  the  railings  and  on  tables,  that 
they  might  see  the  better,  expecting  that  she  would 
prove  a  victim  to  the  floating  mine.  But  after  a  few 
minutes  the  Mathias  Comino  altered  her  course,  and 
describing  a  broad  semicircle,  returned  to  her  posi 
tion  in  the  squadron. 

"  She  has  set  signals  I  "  said  Captain  Saunders,  who 
had  been  looking  through  the  telescope. 

"  And  the  Blanco  is  answering  I  "  remarked  Senor 
Cisneros,  after  sweeping  his  marine  glasses  to  the 
right,  where  the  flagship  formed  one  of  the  wings  of 
the  fleet. 

"  She's  shaping  a  course  for  the  lighter!  "  exclaimed 
the  captain,  who  had  swung  his  telescope  around  ;  and 


JOHN  LONGMORE'S  REVENGE.      233 

then  every  one  looked  toward  the  north,  from  which 
point  of  the  compass  the  big  ironclad  was  lumbering 
shoreward. 

A  breeze  from  the  south,  blowing  somewhat  ear 
lier  in  the  day  than  was  usual,  had  cleared  the  last 
shadow  of  mist  away,  a  cool  temperature  had  pre 
vented  the  forming  of  a  heat  haze,  and  the  eye  could 
discern  even  trees  on  San  Lorenzo  Island. 

At  the  time  of  exchanging  signals  the  Blanco  was 
about  six  miles  distant  from  the  Mathias  Cousino. 
She  moved  sluggishly,  not  over  eight  knots  an  hour, 
for  her  hull  had  become  foul  with  the  marine  growth 
of  the  South  Pacific  ;  and  it  was  a  half  hour  from  the 
time  she  left  the  line  before  she  reached  the  spot 
where  the  cruiser  had  been.  The  lighter  had  moved 
some  two  and  a  half  miles  from  shore,  and  was  still 
drifting.  To  reach  this  craft  the  big  man-of-war  had 
approached  so  near  that  even  those  who  had  no  ma 
rine  glasses  could  make  out  features  of  her  super 
structure;  while  persons  sitting  at  the  telescopes 
counted  the  number  of  men  stationed  on  the  bridge 
and  on  other  elevated  deck  works. 

By  approaching  this  close  the  flagship  came  within 
easy  range  of  the  shore  guns,  and  when  she  was  only 
a  few  cables'  length  distant  from  the  lighter,  a  shell 
was  sent  screeching  over  the  water  from  one  of  the 
rifled  pieces  in  the  castle.  It  struck  to  the  south  of 
her,  fully  a  quarter  of  a  mile. 


234  INCALAND. 

"That  bluff  is  so  poor  that  I  should  think  her 
commander  would  see  through  it,"  said  Captain 
Saunders. 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  a  bluff,  father  ?  "  asked 
Carl. 

"  Why,  that  gun-fire,  evidently  ordered  to  lull  the 
suspicions  of  the  Chileans,  who  might  wonder  if  no 
shots  were  let  fly." 

"Didn't  they  aim  at  her,  then?  " 

"  Certainly  not,  son." 

At  that  moment  a  shell  flew  from  the  Chucuito 
fort,  and  it  went  as  wild  as  had  that  from  the  castle. 

Then  everybody  bent  forward  breathlessly,  looked 
out  over  the  bay  with  staring  eyes,  and  not  a  word 
was  spoken  ;  a  silence  as  of  death  had  fallen  upon 
the  multitude  that  thronged  the  shore  lines.  For 
the  Blanco  Encalada  had  slowly  passed  between  the 
lighter  and  the  land,  had  reversed  her  propeller,  and 
had  come  to  a  stop  with  the  lighter  alongside.  None 
could  see  this  boat  that  was  crowded  with  food -stuffs 
and  undermined  with  sufficient  explosives  to  destroy 
every  ship  out  there  in  the  offing,  but  they  knew 
that  it  had  been  made  fast,  and  that  greedy  eyes  of 
half-famished  sailors  were  spying  the  wealth  of  edi 
bles  —  enough  food  to  put  new  life  into  every  man 
in  the  fleet,  even  as  there  was  sufficient  material, 
hidden  by  the  green,  to  insure  every  man  a  horrible 
death. 


JOHN  LONGMORE'S  REVENGE.      235 

Minutes  passed  like  hours  ;  the  ticking  of  watches 
could  be  heard.  What  could  they  be  about  on  the 
ironclad  ?  Why  the  delay  ?  Why  did  the  crash 
not  come  and  be  over  with  ? 

Harvey  was  watching  as  were  the  others,  but  all 
at  once  he  buried  his  face  in  his  hands  and  covered 
his  eyes.  The  boy  who  had  stood  before  the  Maje- 
ronas  so  bravely  became  dizzy  when  he  thought  of 
the  awful  scene  that  might  spring  into  being  any 
moment  out  in  the  bay  ;  a  lump  was  in  his  throat. 
Carl  and  Louis  also  turned  away  at  times.  Strong 
men  were  affected  and  nervously  twitched  their 
fingers,  tapped  the  floor  with  their  feet,  or  bit  the 
ends  of  their  mustaches. 

"  She's  away  !  She's  safe  !  "  suddenly  exclaimed 
the  captain.  "  She's  made  out  the  trap  and  is  put 
ting  out  to  sea  again  !  " 

Then  everybody  saw  the  lighter  reappear  under 
the  war-ship's  counter,  and  gradually  the  water  and 
sky  line  broadened  between  the  big  ship  and  the 
boat. 


s 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

JOHN  LONGMORE'S  REVENGE  (concluded) . 

E&OR  CISNEROS  gave  vent  to  a  sigh  of 
relief  ;  so  did  Mr.  Dartmoor.  The  boys  were 
both  disappointed  and  pleased.  If  they  could  have 
seen  a  war-ship  destroyed  without  loss  of  life,  the 
spectacle  would  have  thrilled  them  ;  or  could  they 
have  been  eyewitness  to  a  naval  engagement  in  which 
both  sides  had  warning,  they  would  have  enjoyed 
nothing  better.  They  understood  perfectly  the 
attitude  taken  by  their  seniors,  and  their  love  of  fair 
play  told  them  that  such  methods  of  warfare  as  that 
employed  by  John  Longmore  could  have  no  honest 
approval. 

Captain  Saunders  picked  up  his  hat  from  a  table, 
and,  rising  from  the  chair  where  he  had  ensconced 
himself  so  as  to  look  the  better  through  the  telescope, 
he  prepared  to  leave  the  veranda,  and  waited  a 
minute  until  the  others  could  make  ready.  Several 
club  members  had  hurriedly  taken  their  departure, 


JOHN  LONGMOBE'S  REVENGE.  237 

anxious  to  avoid  the  crowd  that  would  throng  the 
streets. 

"  Come,  boys,"  Mr.  Dartmoor  said,  and  he  started 
toward  the  stairs. 

"  Just  a  minute,  please,  father  ?  "  asked  Louis,  who 
had  taken  a  seat  at  the  telescope.  Then  he  added, 
"  I  wonder  what  the  Blanco  is  signalling  for  ?  " 

"  She  is  signalling,  that's  a  fact,"  said  Carl,  who 
had  taken  up  a  pair  of  marine  glasses  and  was  look 
ing  seaward. 

"  Hurry  !  Don't  you  see  you  are  keeping  us  all 
waiting  ?  "  insisted  Mr.  Dartmoor. 

"  One  second,  please,  one  second  !  Oh,  father, 
look  !  There's  another  ship  coming  up.  See,  that 
one  to  the  south  is  leaving  the  line  !  " 

Mr.  Dartmoor  turned  and  took  the  marine  glasses 
which  Carl  handed  to  him. 

"  Take  a  look,  captain,"  he  said,  after  a  minute. 
"  I  do  believe  another  ship  is  planning  to  take  the 
cargo  on  board." 

Captain  Saunders  put  his  eye  to  the  telescope  and 
was  heard  to  mutter  :  — 

"  You're  right,  Dartmoor." 

He  gazed  at  the  oncoming  vessel  some  few  min 
utes  longer,  then  added  :  "  Yes,  sir  ;  one  of  the 
transports  is  making  in  this  direction.  And  I  think 
that  I  can  understand  the  reason." 

"  Are  we  still  in  doubt  as  to  the  outcome  ?  "  asked 


238  INCALAND. 

Don  Isaac,  who  with  Senor  Cisneros  had  returned  to 
the  corner. 

"  Yes.  And  if  I  am  correct  in  my  surmise,  the  plot 
will  now  succeed." 

"  How  so  ?  Don't  you  think  that  the  Blanco 's 
officers  guessed  the  nature  of  that  cargo  ?  " 

"  No.  I  don't  believe  they  did.  If  they  had,  she 
would  probably  have  stood  off  a  short  distance  and 
put  a  shell  into  it,  to  test  the  correctness  of  the  sus 
picion.  Instead  of  that,  the  admiral  has  signalled 
another  ship  to  approach.  My  strongest  grounds  for 
believing  that  the  ruse  has  succeeded  are  based  on 
the  nature  of  the  vessel  that  has  been  called  from  the 
line." 

"  In  what  respect  ?  " 

"  She's  a  transport.  Moreover,  she  was  formerly 
in  the  coast  service." 

"  Yes  ?  " 

"  If  I  am  not  mistaken,  she  is  the  Loa,  formerly  one 
of  the  Chilean  Transportation  Company's  vessels. 
You  will  remember  her.  She  was  on  the  Callao- 
Valparaiso  run  a  year  or  so  ago." 

"  I  remember  her  well,"  said  Mr.  Dartmoor.  "  I 
once  took  passage  on  her  to  Arica.  Why  has  she 
been  called  ?  " 

"  Because  she  has  machinery  on  board  that  can  be 
used  for  lifting  the  provisions  from  the  lighter. 
There  is  a  heavy  swell  outside,  and  the  Blanco  could 


JOHN  LONGMORE'S  REVENGE.      239 

not  bring  the  small  boat  close  enough  to  transfer  the 
green  stuff  ;  so  the  former  coaster  has  been  ordered 
to  do  it.  She  is  especially  equipped,  with  steam 
winches  and  swinging  cranes,  which  have  been  used 
for  that  purpose  for  many  years,  up  and  down  the 
coast.  Watch,  and  you  will  see  that  I  am  correct," 
and  he  settled  himself  firmly  in  the  chair,  con 
vinced  that  the  tragedy  had  been  postponed,  not 
avoided. 

Other  club  members  had  noticed  the  manoeuvre 
out  in  the  open,  and  had  returned  to  their  seats  and 
positions  near  the  railing  ;  and  still  others,  who  were 
descending  the  stairs,  had  been  called  back  by  their 
friends.  A  movement  had  been  noticed  in  the  crowd 
on  the  beach,  a  wave  of  humanity  had  receded  toward 
the  city  when  the  Blanco  put  out  to  sea  again;  now  the 
wave  was  sweeping  back,  for  keen  eyes  all  along  the 
water-front  had  noticed  that  change  in  position  by 
ships  of  the  enemy. 

The  Loa,  one  of  the  largest  passenger  steamers  on 
the  Pacific  in  that  day,  had  been  bought  by  the  Chil 
ean  government  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  troops 
from  Valparaiso  to  the  Peruvian  seaports.  Pending 
the  embarkation  of  the  large  force  that  was  ulti 
mately  to  march  on  Lima,  she  had  been  sent  to  the 
blockading  fleet  with  supplies.  The  vessel  was 
almost  new,  her  engines  were  of  a  late  pattern,  and 
she  could  steam  a  good  fourteen  knots.  Therefore 


240  INCALAND. 

her  progress  from  the  line  was  much  more  swift  than 
had  been  that  of  the  Blanco  Encalada.  On  she  came, 
parting  the  glassy  rollers,  throwing  a  curved  wave  to 
port  and  another  to  starboard,  smoke  belching  from 
the  stack,  and  steam  flying  in  gray  tangles  from  the 
escape  pipe. 

"  What  a  shame !  "  remarked  Senor  Cisneros,  as 
they  watched  her  approach.  "  I  have  heard  that  the 
poor  fellows  out  there  have  been  attacked  with 
scurvy.  Think  what  a  treat  those  vegetables  would 
be  to  them  after  these  long  months  of  salt  pork  and 
dry  bread  !  " 

"We  can  only  hope  that  they  will  discover  the 
plot,"  said  Mr.  Dartmoor. 

For  ten  minutes  little  was  said  by  those  on  the 
veranda ;  then  Captain  Saunders,  who  remained  with 
his  eye  glued  to  the  object  glass,  exclaimed  :  - 

"  She's  shifted  her  helm  and  will  bring  the  lighter 
on  the  shore  side  of  her." 

They  noticed  that  she  had  altered  her  course ;  then 
she  slowed  down  perceptibly. 

Five  minutes  later  the  Loa  appeared  to  be  motion 
less  ;  if  she  was  moving,  it  was  very  slowly ;  the 
lighter  had  been  brought  abeam.  Observers  who 
had  no  glasses  could  tell  the  relative  position  of  the 
two  craft,  so  clear  was  the  air ;  those  with  marine 
glasses  could  see  that  preparations  were  going  for 
ward  to  make  the  provision  boat  fast ;  through  the 


JOHN  LONGMORE'S  REVENGE.      241 

powerful  telescopes  every  movement  of  persons  on 
the  deck  and  bridge  could  be  watched. 

Captain  Saunders  commenced  to  describe  rapidly 
what  was  happening,  for  the  benefit  of  those  who 
had  no  lenses  to  aid  their  vision. 

"  The  lighter  is  abreast  the  Loa"  he  said.  "  They 
have  let  a  rope  down  over  the  side,  and  a  sailor  is 
descending  to  the  boat.  There  !  he  has  found  a 
footing  and  is  making  the  rope  fast  to  the  bow. 
Another  rope  has  been  thrown  him,  which  he  is 
making  fast  to  the  stern.  Down  this  comes  another 
fellow,  to  help  him,  and  another.  Three  of  them  are 
now  on  board.  Fenders  are  being  thrown  them  to 
place  between  the  sides,  for  she  is  bumping  heavily. 
Ah  !  nearly  over  !  " 

"  What  was  nearly  over  ?  "  Mr.  Dartmoor  asked. 
"The  lighter?" 

"  Yes.  She  was  almost  swamped.  I  wish  she  had 
been.  Perhaps  that  wrench  has  dislodged  the  ma 
chinery  of  the  mine.  Now  they  are  passing  down 
poles  and  these  are  being  used  between  the  sides, 
instead  of  fenders,  so  as  to  keep  her  farther  off. 
More  men  are  going  on  board ;  there  are  fully  a 
score  of  them  among  the  green  stuff.  I  can  make 
out  a  number  of  them  eating  fruit.  Poor  fellows, 
what  a  treat  all  that  does  seem  !  Little  do  they 
know  that  they  are  enjoying  chirimoyas,  paltas,  and 
oranges  while  standing  on  the  brink  of  death !  Now 


242  INCALAND. 

we  shall  be  able  to  tell.  The  suspense  won't  last 
much  longer !  " 

"  What  has  happened  ?  "  asked  Don  Isaac. 

"They  have  swung  the  crane  around  and  are 
lowering  the  chain  with  a  basket  attached." 

"  That  means  they  are  loading  with  the  green 
stuff  first,  I  believe.  You  said  that  was  on  top,  did 
you  not,  Carl  ?  "  asked  the  editor. 

"  Yes,  sir, "  the  boy  replied,  in  a  choking  voice. 
"  The  fruits,  the  lettuce,  beans,  and  such  things  are 
scattered  about  over  the  meat  and  larger  vegetables. 
And  flowers  too." 

"  Flowers  ?  " 

"  An  armful  of  them,  sir,"  Harvey  said. 

"  Then  that  accounts  for  the  bunch  of  red  which 
I  saw  one  of  the  men  throw  on  board  just  now," 
said  Captain  Saunders.  "  There  goes  the  first  basket 
ful.  It  is  going  up  rapidly  ;  the  crane  is  swinging 
inboard ;  it  is  being  dumped  on  deck.  Now  the 
crane  is  travelling  back  and  the  basket  is  lowered 
again.  The  men  fall  to.  They  are  loading  with  a 
will,  for  an  officer  has  gone  down  among  them  and 
is  directing.  I  suppose  the  poor  devils  stopped  too 
often  to  taste  the  fruit.  The  second  basketful  is 
going  up  !  up  !  up  !  That  also  is  dumped.  What's 
this  ?  The  basket  is  not  coming  back  !  No,  hooks 
are  being  lowered  on  the  end  of  the  chain.  They 
must  have  put  in  all  the  vegetables  that  were  on  top 


JOHN  LONGMORE'S  REVENGE.  243 

and  have  reached  the  meat.  Ah,  they  are  commenc 
ing  at  the  bow  and  not  amidships.  There  goes  a 
shoulder  of  beef  !  Inboard  with  it  !  Out  comes 
the  crane  arm  again  and  down  go  the  hooks  !  An 
other  shoulder  of  beef  !  Those  fellows  are  working 
like  mad.  Why,  Dartmoor,  they  must  be  nearly 
famished.  I  suppose  they  didn't  appreciate  what  a 
rich  haul  they  had  come  across.  Merciful  God,  if 
Thou  wilt  but  stay  Thine  hand  ! " 

The  brief,  fervent  prayer  was  echoed  by  all  who 
heard.  The  faces  of  men  and  boys  had  become 
ashen  pale.  Two  hundred  men  were  on  the  trans 
port  Loa,  two  hundred  hungry  men,  and  there  were 
thousands  of  others  in  the  fleet.  The  launch  con 
tained  enough  fresh  provisions  to  give  them  all  a 
treat  for  at  least  one  day. 

The  Blanco  Encalada  had  steamed  only  a  short 
distance  away,  and  then  had  swung  around  and  lay 
rolling  in  the  trough,  waiting,  her  crew  evidently 
watching  the  work  that  was  being  pushed  forward. 
Other  ships  of  the  fleet,  realizing  from  the  signals 
what  was  happening,  had  edged  closer  in. 

"  They  are  working  their  way  aft,"  continued 
Captain  Saunders.  "  Some  smaller  pieces  are  being 
sent  up  the  side.  You  say  the  infernal  machine  is 
located  exactly  amidships  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,"  answered  Harvey,  in  a  whisper. 

"  There,  there  !  "  The  captain  held  his  hand  out, 


244  INCALAND. 

as  if  in  a  warning.  "  The  officer  is  bending  over ; 
a  sailor  bends  over  with  him.  The  hook  is  being 
made " 

The  sentence  was  never  finished. 

A  blinding  flash  sprang  from  the  side  of  the  trans 
port,  a  flash  that  dazzled  the  eye  even  in  the  bright 
day,  and  for  one  infinitesimal  measurement  of  time 
everything  stood  out  plainly  —  the  side  of  the  ship, 
the  lighter,  the  men  bending  over,  the  men  grouped 
among  the  provisions,  and  those  who  had  manned 
the  chains.  Then,  in  contrast  with  the  lightning- 
like  movement  of  the  great  glare  was  the  slow  move 
ment  of  the  steamship,  parting  in  twain.  She 
opened  as  though  a  giant  wedge  had  cleft  her  in 
two  ;  she  had  been  rent  asunder  by  a  force  that  was 
titanic.  And  as  she  thus  divided,  a  roar  the  like  of 
which  no  man  in  Callao  had  ever  heard  came  thun 
dering  over  the  water.  The  great  sound  waves 
threw  themselves  upon  buildings,  causing  them  to 
tremble  to  their  foundations,  and  thrust  upon  sensi 
tive  ear-drums  with  deafening  force.  Then  they 
swept  on,  over  the  seacoast  city,  over  the  pampas 
country,  up  to  Lima,  rattling  windows  there,  and 
passed  from  the  City  of  the  Kings  to  the  spurs  of 
the  Andes,  which  threw  them  back  in  a  prolonged 
echo,  so  that  all  the  valley  seemed  filled  with  sound. 

While  the  roar  was  spreading,  a  column  of  water 
had  sprung  into  being  out  in  the  bay,  and  spurting 


JOHN  LONGMORE'S  REVENGE.      245 

through  it  was  a  writhing  mass  of  steam.  This 
vaporous  geyser  bore  in  its  embrace  fragments  of 
men  and  fragments  of  iron,  steel,  and  wood ;  it 
carried  dismembered  human  beings  aloft  in  its  gray 
fantastic  flight,  and  it  also  bore  piston  rods,  seg 
ments  of  crank  shafts,  plates,  torn  and  twisted  from 
the  hull,  hatch  coverings,  deck  railings,  and  sides  of 
superstructures ;  it  enveloped  a  medley  of  wrought 
metals  and  rough  wood,  and  a  medley  of  quivering 
bodies.  It  bore  upward  also  the  ragged  ends  of  the 
transport  Loa,  lifting  the  segments  that  had  been 
torn  asunder,  so  that  the  bow  of  the  ship  dipped 
down,  and  the  stern  did  likewise.  Then  these  two 
parts  plunged  beneath  the  surface,  going  in  opposite 
directions,  and  as  they  went,  the  spout  of  water  fell, 
and  the  steam  settled  down  over  all.  This  steam 
could  be  seen  whirling  and  edd}dng,  and  when  the 
light  wind  threw  it  to  one  side,  the  water  was  seen 
to  be  whirling  and  eddying  even  as  had  done  the 
vapor,  throwing  up  pieces  of  wood  in  places,  and 
also  black  objects,  which  those  who  still  looked  — 
and  they  were  not  many,  for  the  great  majority  had 
turned  their  heads  because  of  the  horror  —  knew  to 
be  the  bodies  of  men. 

From  the  sides  of  the  Blanco  Encalada  boats  com 
menced  to  creep ;  from  farther  out  in  the  bay  other 
vessels  of  the  fleet  cast  great  columns  of  smoke  into 
the  air  as  they  made  haste  to  the  rescue. 


246  INCALAND. 

The  many  persons  on  the  veranda  of  the  English 
Club  said  nothing  for  fully  five  minutes,  so  struck 
with  awe  were  they.  Then  Captain  Saunders  found 
voice  to  call  the  boys. 

"  We  had  better  go  now,"  he  said.  "  You  have 
witnessed  what  will  go  down  into  history  as  the 
crime  of  the  Chile-Peruvian  War." 

His  prophecy  was  true.  That  which  Mr.  Dartmoor 
and  Sefior  Cisneros  had  said  also  came  to  pass,  for 
Peru  as  a  nation  mourned  what  had  been  done,  and 
the  blush  of  shame  came  to  the  cheeks  of  many 
whenever  the  sinking  of  the  Loa  was  mentioned. 

Months  later  those  in  Callao  who  had  watched 
this  spectacle  learned  that  one  hundred  Chileans 
had  been  killed  and  fifty  wounded  by  Old  John's 
infernal  machine. 

"  We  had  better  go  to  Lima,"  added  the  captain, 
when  they  had  left  the  veranda  and  had  mingled 
with  the  thousands  who  were  slowly  leaving  the 
beach. 

"  Why  ?  Do  you  think  there  will  be  a  bom 
bardment  ?  " 

44  Assuredly  there  will  be.  The  Chileans  will  be 
avenged  to-night." 

They  went  to  the  capital,  and  so  did  thousands  of 
other  residents  of  the  seacoast  city. 

At  sunset  the  Chilean  fleet  steamed  in  close  under 
the  guns,  and  paying  no  heed  to  the  fire  from  the 


JOHN  LONGMORE'S  REVENGE.         247 

forts,  poured  shot  and  shell  into  Callao  until  morn 
ing  came.  Houses  were  destroyed,  large  buildings 
were  lacked  through  and  through,  and  many  fires 
were  started.  There  was  a  death  list  among  those 
who  remained  in  the  town,  and  many  persons  were 
wounded. 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

A  STRANGE  DISAPPEARANCE. 

NEWS  filtered  through  the  lines  from  the  south 
of  serious  reverses  to  Peruvian  arms.  It  came 
overland,  for  there  was  no  communication  by  sea. 
The  word  was  to  the  effect  that  Arica  had  been 
taken  by  assault  on  June  7,  and  that  there  had  been 
great  loss  of  life  in  the  Peruvian  army. 

No  man  doubted  that  the  Peruvian  city  had 
fallen,  but  as  for  the  particulars,  so  many  rumors 
were  afloat  that  no  credence  was  given  any  of  them, 
and  every  one  anxiously  awaited  definite  information. 

Much  lawlessness  prevailed  about  this  time,  both 
in  the  cities  and  in  the  surrounding  country.  Nearly 
half  the  population  was  under  arms  in  Lima  and 
Callao,  and  these  many  thousand  soldiers,  inactive 
save  for  the  daily  drills,  became  restless,  and  when 
given  liberty  they  resorted  to  deeds  of  violence. 
Day  after  day  reports  reached  the  towns  of  country 
haciendas  having  been  pillaged,  and  the  occupants 
forced  to  pay  tribute  to  marauding  bands ;  citizens, 

248 


A   STRANGE   DISAPPEARANCE.  249 

out  late  at  night,  were  frequently  robbed ;  and  a 
prominent  English  physician  of  Callao  was  attacked 
while  walking  on  the  plank  road  leading  from 
Chucuito,  and  was  killed. 

The  army  as  a  whole  deplored  this  reign  of  terror, 
and  officers  did  their  best  to  check  the  wave  of 
crime.  Courts-martial  were  frequent ;  the  guilty 
were  ranged  against  a  wall  and  shot,  but,  despite 
this  energetic  action,  deeds  of  violence  continued. 
Some  of  the  worst  characters  in  Peru  had  volun 
teered  for  the  ranks,  and  as  they  were  known  as 
desperate  fighters,  their  services  had  been  accepted. 
All  would  have  been  well  could  they  have  been  led 
at  once  against  the  enemy,  but  retained  in  camp,  and 
months  passing  without  action,  their  worst  natures 
came  to  the  surface. 

When  the  reign  of  terror  had  become  recognized 
as  beyond  the  power  of  the  authorities  entirely  to 
subdue,  Mr.  Dartmoor  regretted  more  than  ever  that 
he  had  not  sent  his  family  to  the  United  States  ; 
indeed,  he  regretted  that  he  had  not  left  the  coun 
try  with  them  before  the  enemy's  ships  had  closed 
the  port. 

Captain  Saunders,  convinced  that  no  vessels  could 
enter  the  harbor  for  many  more  months,  and  realiz 
ing  that  in  their  absence  his  presence  in  Peru  was  of 
no  benefit  to  the  American  Board  of  Marine  Under 
writers,  decided  upon  an  overland  journey,  with  Carl, 


250  INC  ALAND. 

to  one  of  the  northern  cities,  from  where  they  could 
take  passage  for  Panama.  He  spoke  of  the  plan  to 
Mr.  Dartmoor,  and  the  iron  merchant  decided  to 
accompany  him.  Mr.  Lawton,  hearing  of  their  pro 
posed  trip,  and  having  arranged  his  affairs  in  a  satis 
factory  manner,  said  that  he  also  would  go. 

"  But  your  newspaper  ?  "  asked  Captain  Saunders. 

"  I  shall  suspend  publication.  All  my  obligations 
have  been  met,  thanks  to  Harvey  and  his  father,  and 
I  am  in  a  position  where  I  can  close  the  plant  and 
reopen  it  when  peace  shall  be  declared  and  business 
resume." 

"I  think  it  would  be  wise  for  us  all  to  go," 
declared  Mr.  Dartmoor.  "Nothing  can  be  done 
with  the  mine  until  this  unfortunate  war  shall  come 
to  an  end,  and  we  are  constantly  exposing  our  lives 
here.  What  will  you  do?"  he  asked,  turning  to 
Seiior  Cisneros,  who  had  remained  in  Callao,  hoping 
that  the  clouds  of  depression  might  lift. 

"  I  shall  return  to  Huari  and  wait  for  peace,"  he 
replied.  "We  are  safe  in  the  mountains.  I  wish 
you  all  could  go  with  me." 

They  thanked  him,  but  declined.  Mr.  Dartmoor 
had  not  been  home  save  for  a  brief  period  since  the 
Civil  War  ;  he  wished  his  children  to  become  better 
acquainted  with  the  great  republic  to  the  north,  and 
he  was  anxious  that  Mrs.  Dartmoor  should  see  more 
of  the  United  States. 


A   STRANGE   DISAPPEARANCE.  251 

Plans  were  formed  to  travel  overland  to  Payta, 
and  some  forty  or  fifty  other  Americans  and  English 
decided  to  accompany  them.  The  day  for  departure 
had  been  set  when  two  events  occurred,  the  first  of 
which  put  a  temporary  stop  to  preparations,  and  the 
second  altered  their  arrangements  materially. 

One  evening,  during  the  last  week  in  July,  five 
young  persons  were  gathered  in  the  parlor  of  Mr. 
Dartmoor's  Chucuito  residence  —  Carl  Saunders, 
Louis  and  Harvey  Dartmoor  and  their  sister  Rosita, 
and  Bella  Caceras.  The  presence  of  the  girls  in 
the  Callao  suburb  was  due  to  a  temporary  truce  that 
had  been  agreed  to  by  the  commander-in-chief  of 
the  land  forces  and  the  admiral  of  the  Chilean  fleet, 
whereby  it  was  agreed  not  to  exchange  shots  for  a 
fortnight. 

This  had  no  effect  upon  the  blockade,  but  it  made 
Callao  a  safe  place  to  live  in  so  far  as  the  element 
of  bombardment  was  eliminated,  and,  taking  advan 
tage  of  the  lull  in  hostilities,  those  who  had  homes 
near  the  sea  removed  from  Lima,  so  as  to  enjoy 
the  bracing  salt-laden  air  and  have  a  brief  respite 
from  the  crowded,  soldier-burdened  life  of  the 
capital . 

The  evening  had  been  prefaced  by  one  of  those 
dinners  for  which  John  Dartmoor's  home  had  been 
noted  before  his  financial  difficulties  had  embarrassed 
him.  To  be  sure,  this  day  the  dishes  were  not  as 


252  INCALAND. 

numerous  as  they  had  been  before  the  blockade,  and 
that  which  was  served  cost  four  and  five  times  the 
price  of  edibles  in  the  olden  times,  but  steaming 
pucharo  was  there,  as  of  yore,  and  there  was  no 
lack  of  paltas  and  other  fruit. 

After  the  enjoyable  hour  at  table,  Mr.  Dartmoor, 
Captain  Saunders,  and  Senor  Cisneros  went  to  the 
billiard  room,  and  Mrs.  Dartmoor  accompanied  the 
young  people  to  the  parlor,  from  where,  after  a  few 
minutes'  conversation,  she  went  to  her  bedroom, 
having  some  sewing  to  do  —  for  these  days  of  prep 
arations  were  busy  ones,  and,  as  all  women  know, 
it  was  upon  the  mother  that  the  greatest  burdens 
fell. 

Toward  eight  o'clock,  Harvey,  who  had  stepped 
out  on  the  balcony  for  a  minute,  suggested  that 
they  stroll  over  to  Mar  Bravo  beach. 

"  It's  a  perfect  night,"  he  said.  "  The  moon  is 
full  and  there's  hardly  a  cloud  to  be  seen ;  only  a 
few  of  fleecy  white  that  scud  along  as  if  ashamed 
to  interrupt  the  light." 

"  Do  you  realize,  sir,  that  if  you  should  change 
that  sentence  a  trifle  you  would  have  a  verse  for  a 
poem  ?  "  laughingly  said  Bella  Caceras.  "  But  you 
are  right.  It  is  lovely.  Let's  all  go.  The  evening 
is  warm  and  we  do  not  need  any  wraps,  do  we, 
Rosita  ?  " 

"  I  think  not,"  and  rising,  Miss  Dartmoor  joined 


A   STRANGE   DISAPPEARANCE.  253 

her  friend,  then  all  passed  out  the  door  and  down 
the  stairs. 

"Where  are  you  going?"  called  Mr.  Dartmoor, 
from  the  billiard  room. 

"  To  the  beach,  father,"  answered  Louis. 

"  Don't  be  gone  long." 

"  No,  sir  ;  not  over  a  half  hour." 

It  was  the  first  time  the  five  had  visited  Mar 
Bravo  beach  since  the  happy  days  preceding  the 
blockade,  when  these  evenings  at  Chucuito  were  of 
frequent  occurrence. 

"  This  does  seem  good  !  "  exclaimed  Harvey  r  as 
he  sat  down  on  a  circular,  flat-topped  stone,  as  near 
the  line  where  spray  dashed  as  he  could  venture 
without  being  wet. 

"  What  did  you  say  ?  "  called  Bella  Caceras,  who 
was  seated  somewhat  above  him. 

"I  said  that  this  seems  good,"  he  called  back. 
For,  although  they  were  almost  within  touch,  the 
roar  of  the  breakers  and  their  accompanied  under 
tow  was  so  loud  as  to  drown  conversation. 

"  Better  than  fighting  Majeronas  with  pincush 
ions  ?  "  he  heard  her  mischievously  ask. 

At  this  he  followed  a  receding  breaker,  and  snatch 
ing  a  clump  of  seaweed  from  the  swirl,  he  returned 
and  threatened  to  crown  the  Peruvian  with  the  drip 
ping  mass  unless  she  offered  an  apology. 

"  I'll  be  good  !  I'll  be  good  !  "  she  shouted,  endeav- 


254  INCALAND. 

oring  to  rise.  "  Oh,  look  at  the  beautiful  starfish 
you  have  in  the  bunch  !  " 

Harvey  deposited  the  seaweed  at  her  feet,  and 
Rosita  came  over  with  Carl  and  Louis,  to  examine 
closely  the  red  stellerid  that  had  been  so  unexpectedly 
captured.  The  time  passed  only  too  quickly,  and  all 
were  surprised  when  Louis,  looking  at  his  watch, 
and  recalling  the  remark  he  had  made  to  his  father, 
said  they  must  hasten  home,  for  they  had  been  absent 
from  the  house  nearly  an  hour. 

On  the  return,  when  halfway  between  the  beach 
and  the  Dartmoor  Row,  as  the  house  owned  by  the 
boys'  father  and  those  adjacent  to  it  were  called, 
Carl  proposed  a  race. 

"  I  can't  run,"  protested  Bella  Caceras. 

"  Oh,  try,"  urged  Louis. 

"  Let  me  whisper  in  your  ear,"  said  Rosita,  and  then 
exclaiming,  "  Pardon  me,  boys,"  she  said  to  her  friend, 
very  low,  "  Let's  start  with  them,  then  you  and  I 
stop  suddenly,  and  walk  on.  We  will  have  a  nice  talk 
all  alone  and  they'll  never  notice  it." 

"Very  well." 

"  Will  you  race  ?  "  asked  Carl. 

"  Yes,  we'll  race." 

"  Then  all  in  line,"  said  Louis.  "  One,  two,  three, 
and  off !  " 

Great  rivalry  had  always  existed  between  the  boys, 
and  once  started  they  strained  every  muscle  to  call 


A   STRANGE   DISAPPEARANCE.  255 

forth  speed.  Before  his  trip  into  the  interior  Harvey 
had  never  been  able  to  keep  up  with  his  brother  and 
chum ;  but  that  journey  had  toughened  him  greatly, 
made  him  more  agile,  and  this  evening  he  surprised 
the  other  two  by  taking  the  lead  and  keeping  it.  So 
intent  were  all  three,  that  they  never  looked  around 
until  the  house  was  reached,  nor  even  then,  for  Har 
vey  dashed  in  at  the  front  door,  the  others  after  him, 
and  all  sat  down  on  the  steps,  panting  and  out  of 
breath. 

"Well,  that's  the  jolliest  sprint  we've  had  for  a 
long  time,"  said  Louis,  when  he  had  recovered  suffi 
ciently  to  form  the  words. 

"  I  believe  it  is  the  first  time  we  have  tried  to  see 
who  could  beat  since  we  used  to  run  from  Chucuito 
to  La  Punta  in  the  old  days  of  the  Rowing  Club,"  re 
plied  Carl.  "  And  say,  Louis,  what  do  you  think  of 
your  young  brother  here  ?  Beating  us  square  and  fair 
by  three  feet  or  more  in  a  three  hundred  yard  dash  !  " 

"  Sh  !  "  exclaimed  the  boy  whom  they  were  compli 
menting.  "  Listen  !  What's  the  row  in  the  yard  ? 
And,  Louis,  mother  is  screaming,  calling  out,  or 
something.  Come  on  !  Come  on,  Carl  !  " 

They  needed  no  urging,  but  dashed  up  the  stairs, 
two  and  three  steps  at  a  time,  then  through  the 
house  to  the  rear  balcony,  which  overlooked  a  large 
court.  There  they  met  Mrs.  Dartmoor,  who  was 
crying  hysterically. 


256  INCALAND. 

"  What's  the  matter,  mother  ? "  asked  Louis  and 
Harvey,  at  the  same  instant. 

"  I  don't  know,"  she  sobbed.  "  There  was  a  noise 
in  the  stables  and  your  father  went  down.  I  heard 
some  terrible  sounds,  and  then  he  called  for  Carl's 
father  and  Senor  Cisneros.  They  were  already  on 
the  way  to  him,  and  the  three  must  have  had  an  en 
counter  with  some  one.  It  seemed  as  if  all  the 
horses  had  been  turned  loose.  Oh,  I  don't  know 
what  has  happened  !  " 

At  that  moment  a  voice  came  from  below,  call 
ing  :  — 

"  Have  the  boys  returned  ?  " 

"  Yes,  father,"  replied  Louis.     "We  are  here." 

44  Come  down." 

"All  right,  sir,"  he  replied,  and  the  lads  obeyed 
only  too  willingly.  Mrs.  Dartmoor,  reassured  at 
hearing  her  husband's  voice,  returned  to  her  room. 

The  Dartmoor  Row,  which  included  the  house  oc 
cupied  by  John  Dartmoor  before  his  failure,  and  to 
which  he  had  removed  since  the  discovery  of  the 
gold  mine,  and  the  advance  to  him  of  money  by  cap 
italists  of  Lima,  consisted  of  a  number  of  fine  resi 
dences,  built  in  a  semicircle  in  the  heart  of  Chucuito 
suburb.  They  were,  in  fact,  the  most  pretentious 
structures  in  this  little  place,  and  because  of  the  prom 
inence  in  diplomatic  and  business  life  of  the  tenants, 
they  were  known  by  foreigners  all  up  and  down  the 


A  STRANGE   DISAPPEARANCE.  257 

West  Coast.  Back  of  the  houses  was  a  high  fence, 
which  completed  the  circle,  and  which  enclosed  a 
large  court.  Within  the  enclosure  were  the  stables 
and  other  outbuildings,  arranged  so  that  the  whole 
somewhat  resembled  an  English  country  residence  ; 
indeed,  it  was  said  to  have  been  patterned  from  an 
estate  near  London.  Flights  of  stairs  connected  the 
court  with  the  different  houses,  and  it  was  down  one 
of  these  that  the  boys  ran.  At  the  bottom  they  met 
Mr.  Dartmoor,  Senor  Cisneros,  and  Captain  Saunders. 

"We  had  a  little  brush  with  them,"  said  Louis's 
father. 

"  With  whom,  sir  ?  "  the  lads  asked,  and  they  saw 
that  the  iron  merchant  was  holding  a  handkerchief 
to  the  side  of  his  head  and  that  the  Peruvian  was 
limping  as  if  his  leg  pained  him. 

"  With  a  rascally  band  of  soldiers,"  replied  Mr. 
Dartmoor.  "  But  they  were  not  half  so  bad  as  their 
leader.  Louis,  who  do  you  think  he  was  ?  " 

"  But,  father,  are  you  hurt  ?  " 

"  Nothing  to  speak  of.  Tell  me,  who  do  you  think 
led  the  soldiers  into  the  court  ?  " 

"Alfred?" 

"Yes,  Alfred." 

"  The  scoundrel  !  " 

Mr.  Dartmoor  spoke  of  a  young  Englishman  to 
whom  they  had  given  employment  about  the  place. 
He  had  deserted  from  an  English  man-of-war,  and, 


258  INCALAND. 

believing  his  story  to  be  true,  that  harsh  treatment 
had  caused  him  to  run  away  from  the  ship,  the  iron 
merchant  had  found  work  for  him.  But  he  soon 
learned  that  the  young  man  was  addicted  to  the  use 
of  strong  liquors,  and  after  repeated  warnings  he  was 
compelled  to  discharge  him.  The  notification  that 
he  was  no  longer  needed  had  brought  bitter  words 
from  the  former  sailor  boy.  who  had  denounced  Mr. 
Dartmoor  and  had  threatened  to  "  get  even." 

"What  did  he  try  to  do,  father?"  asked  Harvey. 

"  Try  to  do  !  He  has  done  it.  He  and  his  band 
have  taken  all  the  horses !  " 

"The  horses?" 

"  Yes,  every  one  that  was  in  the  stables.  Yours 
and  Louis's,  mine,  and  two  that  belonged  to  Mr. 
Dartnell.  I  heard  the  noise  and  ran  down  the  stairs. 
There  were  fully  twenty  of  them,  and  I  could  do 
nothing,  so  called  Captain  Saunders  and  the  senor, 
but  they  got  away." 

While  this  conversation  was  taking  place  they  had 
walked  from  the  centre  of  the  court  to  the  stairs, 
which  they  soon  commenced  to  mount.  At  the  top 
they  were  met  by  Mrs.  Dartmoor,  who  asked :  — 

"  Did  Rosita  go  into  the  court  with  you,  boys  ?  " 

"Rosita?  No,"  said  Harvey.  "Is  she  not  in  the 
house  with  Bella  Caceras?  " 

"No.     I  have  called  her  several  times." 

"  Why,  that  is  strange.     They  came  back  with  us 


A   STRANGE   DISAPPEARANCE.  259 

from  Mar  Bravo.  That  is,  they  followed  close 
behind." 

The  boy  ran  into  the  house  and  called  "  Rosita ! 
Rosita  !  Rosita  !  " 

No  answer  came. 

Louis  and  Carl  hurried  after  him.  "  They  are  hid 
ing  downstairs,"  said  the  latter.  "  They  are  playing 
a  joke  on  us  because  we  ran  away  from  them." 

"  They  shouldn't  do  that,"  said  Harvey.  "  They 
must  have  heard  mother  call.  A  joke  is  a  joke,  but 
they  ought  not  to  worry  her." 

The  boys  ran  down  the  steps  and  out  in  front. 
The  girls  were  not  in  sight.  They  looked  in  the 
doorways  of  the  neighboring  houses.  No  one  could 
be  seen. 

"  Rosita !  Rosita  !  "  called  Harvey  and  Louis. 
"  Don't  try  to  hide  any  longer.  We  know  where 
you  are." 

There  was  no  answer. 

"  Where  do  you  suppose  they  are?  "  asked  Harvey, 
and  his  voice  trembled. 

"  I  think  we  should  tell  father,"  said  Louis,  and 
running  to  the  foot  of  the  stairs  he  called  to  Mr. 
Dartmoor. 

"  What  is  it,  Louis  ?  "  asked  the  iron  merchant. 

"  We  can't  find  Rosita  and  Bella  Caceras." 

"Can't  find  Rosita!  Why,  what  do  you  mean? 
Rosita!"  he  called. 


260  INCALAND. 

No  reply  came. 

"Where  were  they,  boys,  when  you  saw  them 
last?" 

"  Following  us  from  Mar  Bravo.  We  all  started 
on  a  foot  race,  and  the  girls  were  with  us.  They 
couldn't  have  been  more  than  a  dozen  steps  in  the 
rear." 

"  Perhaps  they  are  hiding  behind  the  stones.  Run 
over  to  the  beach  and  see  if  they  are  not." 

The  boys  did  as  they  were  bid  and  returned  in  five 
minutes.  No  sign  of  the  girls  had  been  seen.  All 
called  again.  There  was  no  answer.  Mrs.  Dart 
moor  came  downstairs  and  added  her  cries  to  those 
of  the  men  and  the  boys.  Not  a  voice  was  heard  in 
reply,, 

Rosita  Dartmoor  and  Bella  Caceras  had  disap 
peared. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

A  CHASE  INTO  THE   PAMPAS   COUNTRY. 

THEY  formed  a  startled  group  out  in  front  of 
the  Dartmoor  Row,  standing  in  the  white  of 
the  moonlight,  and  for  fully  a  minute  not  a  sound 
came  from  them,  except  low  moans  from  Mrs.  Dart 
moor's  lips.  These,  too,  suddenly  ceased,  and  the 
woman  fell  toward  her  husband. 

"  Quick,  Louis !  Help  me  !  Your  mother  has 
fainted !  " 

The  boy  sprang  to  his  father's  side. 

"We  must  carry  her  upstairs." 

Captain  Saunders  also  hurried  to  assist,  and  the 
three  bore  the  deathlike  mother  to  her  bedroom, 
where  restoratives  were  applied,  and  she  soon  re 
gained  consciousness. 

"  There,  I  am  better  now,"  she  said,  as  soon  as  she 
could  sit  upright.  "  I  must  go  down  and  look  for 
Rosita,"  and  she  tried  to  struggle  to  her  feet. 

"No.  Please  don't  try  to  do  that,"  urged  her 
husband.  "  Louis  will  go,  and  so  will  the  captain, 

261 


262  INCALAND. 

and  with  Senor  Cisneros,  Carl,  and  Harvey  they  will 
do  all  that  is  possible.  I  shall  remain  by  your  side 
until  you  are  much  better." 

Then  he  stepped  over  to  Captain  Saunders  and 
whispered,  "  For  God's  sake  do  what  you  can  !  " 

"  Rest  assured  that  I  will,"  was  the  reply,  and  he 
left  the  room  with  the  boys. 

Below  they  saw  Seiior  Cisneros  walking  slowly  up 
and  down  the  road,  near  the  end  of  the  row.  He 
was  bent  nearly  double,  and  was  carefully  examining 
the  ground. 

"  Come  here,"  he  finally  called  to  those  who  were 
gathered  near  the  door,  and  when  they  had  ap 
proached,  he  added,  "  Do  you  see  these  hoof  prints, 
rounding  from  the  stables." 

"  Yes,"  they  all  exclaimed. 

"Notice  that  they  continue  on  in  front  of  the 
houses  about  a  hundred  feet  and  then  stop." 

He  had  walked  along  while  calling  their  attention 
to  the  marks  that  were  plain  in  the  light-colored, 
sandy  soil  of  the  roadway. 

"  You  are  correct,"  said  Captain  Saunders.  "  What 
does  it  mean  ?  " 

"  First,  let's  ascertain  if  they  continue  up  the 
main  road,"  arid  turning,  he  walked  in  the  direction 
of  Callao  again. 

"  Yes,"  he  added,  "  they  doubled  over  this  stretch. 
Notice  how  confused  the  imprints  are,  and  now," 


A   CHASE   INTO   THE   PAMPAS   COUNTRY.        263 

when  they  had  passed  the  corner,  "see,  they  are 
plain  again  on  the  way  to  the  city  !  Those  girls, 
Rosita  and  Bella,  have  been  kidnapped." 

"  Kidnapped  ?     By  whom  ?  " 

"  By  that  scoundrelly  Englishman  and  his  ruffianly 
band.  After  leaving  the  stables  they  made  for  the 
main  road.  At  the  corner  they  saw  the  girls,  and 
as  they  were  only  a  few  feet  away,  they  picked  them 
up  and  dashed  off  again.  We  did  not  hear  them 
nor  the  cries  of  the  girls,  which  of  course  were  soon 
stifled,  because  we  were  so  occupied  in  the  court." 

"I  did  hear  a  scream,"  said  Captain  Saunders, 
"but  paid  no  particular  attention,  thinking  one  of 
the  women  servants  had  cried  in  alarm  because  of 
the  uproar  in  the  stables.  But,  senor,  for  what  rea 
son  would  they  kidnap  the  girls  ?  " 

"  For  a  ransom.  That  English  renegade  knows 
about  the  gold  mine,  and  the  thought  came  to  him 
at  once  to  extort  money.  Here,  Harvey,  come 
back !  " 

The  boy,  who  had  started  on  a  run,  came  to  r. 
halt. 

"  Where  are  you  going  ?  " 

"After  them,"  he  replied. 

"  You  can  do  nothing  alone  and  on  foot.  We'll 
all  start.  Louis,  are  there  any  horses  in  the  neigh 
borhood  ?  " 

He  shook  his  head  in  negation. 


264  INCALAND. 

"  Oh,  yes  there  are!  "  exclaimed  Harvey,  who  had 
quickly  returned.  "  There  are  some  at  the  fort." 

"  Then  hurry  over  there  as  fast  as  you  can,  explain 
to  the  commandante  what  has  happened,  and  ask 
him  if  he  will  lend  us  mounts.  Louis,  you  go  with 
him,  and  Captain  Saunders,  let  your  son  go  also.  It 
will  take  three  of  them  to  bring  back  the  horses." 

"  Certainly.     Make  haste,  Carl !  " 

The  lads  disappeared  around  the  corner,  and  their 
footfalls  could  be  heard  as  they  started  to  cross  the 
peninsula. 

The  senor  at  once  went  upstairs,  and  returned  with 
Mr.  Dartmoor,  who  looked  over  the  ground  as  the 
others  had  done,  and  became  convinced  that  the 
Peruvian's  theory  was  correct. 

"  Mrs.  Dartmoor  is  better,"  he  said,  returning  to 
the  door.  "  Captain,  will  you  do  me  a  favor  ?  " 

"Anything  you  ask." 

"  Then  remain  with  my  wife,  for  I  must  join  in 
this  chase." 

"  I  shall  do  so  willingly,  if  she  needs  any  one." 

"  Yes,  she  does  ;  for  her  nerves  are  completely 
shattered,  and  I  dare  not  trust  her  alone." 

"Very  well,  I  will  remain.  Would  you  like  to 
have  Carl  accompany  you  ?  " 

"  By  all  means.  We  need  as  large  a  force  as  can 
be  quickly  mustered." 

They  were  upstairs  again  before  this  conversation 


A   CHASE   INTO   THE   PAMPAS   COUNTRY.        265 

was  ended,  and  Mr.  Dartmoor,  hastening  to  his  wife, 
reassured  her  the  best  he  could. 

"  I  do  not  apprehend  any  harm  will  befall  the  girls, 
aside  from  a  rough  ride,"  he  said.  "  Those  marauders 
want  money,  that's  all." 

"  You  will  pay  them  ?  " 

"  Yes,  of  course  I  will,  should  it  be  necessary  ;  but 
I  don't  think  it  will  be." 

"  Hurry,  then ;  oh,  do  hurry  !  " 

"  We  will  be  off  as  soon  as  the  horses  come.  It 
will  be  all  right  then  for  me  to  go  and  leave  Captain 
Saunders  with  you,  dear?  " 

"  Yes,  yes.  I  really  do  not  need  any  one  —  but 
if  the  captain  could  stay,  I  should  like  to  have 
him." 

"I  am  very  glad  that  I  can  be  of  any  service," 
said  Carl's  father.  "And  let  me  assure  you,  Mrs. 
Dartmoor,  that  I  feel  convinced  your  daughter  and 
Sefiorita  Caceras  will  soon  be  recovered." 

Meanwhile  the  men  who  were  to  go  were  making 
hurried  preparations,  casting  aside  coats  and  vests, 
and  donning  flowing  ponchos ;  also  exchanging  shoes 
for  high  boots.  Mr.  Dartmoor  went  into  the  boys' 
room  and  gathered  an  armful  of  articles,  which  he 
thought  his  sons  would  need,  and  which  he  carried 
downstairs  so  they  might  lose  no  time  in  getting 
ready  for  the  road. 

"  We'll  leave  what  we  don't  want  on  the  sidewalk," 


266  INCALAND. 

he  called  to  Captain  Saunders.  "  Please  have  one  of 
the  servants  take  them  in." 

The  clatter  of  hoofs  sounded,  and  four  horsemen 
dashed  around  the  corner  and  came  to  a  sharp  halt 
in  a  cloud  of  dust.  Four  other  horses  were  being 
led.  The  first  to  dismount  was  a  little  man  clad  in 
a  brilliant  uniform  of  red  and  gold  braid. 

"  General  Matajente  !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Dartmoor, 
and  he  grasped  the  soldier  fiercely  by  the  hand. 
"  Thank  God  you  have  come  !  " 

"  Rosita  and  Bella  kidnapped  !  "  replied  the  officer. 
"Never  fear,  we  will  soon  be  up  with  them." 

"  Hurry,  boys  !  dismount  and  make  ready  !  "  and 
Mr.  Dartmoor  pointed  to  the  clothing  that  lay  on  the 
pavement. 

So  expeditious  were  the  lads  that  they  were  fully 
equipped  by  the  time  the  men  had  tightened  their 
saddle  girths. 

"  Have  you  weapons  ?  "  asked  the  general,  as  they 
all  prepared  to  mount. 

Mr.  Dartmoor  made  an  affirmative  gesture. 

"  And  the  boys  ?  " 

"  Each  has  a  revolver.  I  have  permitted  them  to 
carry  firearms  since  these  dangerous  times  began." 

"  Then  let's  be  off  ! " 

They  started  at  a  canter  up  the  road  to  Callao, 
knowing  the  wisdom  of  not  urging  the  horses  at  the 
start.  As  for  the  course  they  pursued,  the  topogra- 


A   CHASE   INTO   THE   PAMPAS   COUNTRY.        267 

phy  of  the  land  was  such  that  the  marauders  could 
have  taken  no  other.  In  the  city  they  received 
information  that  directed  them  still  farther.  A 
policeman  near  the  English  railway  station  had  seen 
the  soldiers  going  rapidly  to  the  northeast.  Yes,  he 
had  noticed  two  senoritas  in  the  party,  and  he  had 
believed  the  troops  were  escorting  them.  Did  they 
call  out  ?  No. 

"  Then,"  said  General  Matajente,  "  they  must  have 
been  gagged,  or  else  the  scoundrels  rode  close  and 
threatened  them.  Tell  me,"  he  inquired  of  the 
policeman,  "were  the  senoritas  mounted  —  each  on  a 
horse  by  herself  ?  " 

"Yes,  seiior  commandante." 

"  Forward,  then  !  "  And  the  party  started  across 
the  city  in  the  direction  indicated.  At  the  farther 
end,  not  far  from  the  Bafios  del  Oroya,  they  came 
upon  a  sentinel  on  guard  near  an  artillery  camp,  and 
from  him  they  also  secured  information.  The  kid 
nappers  had  passed  on  beyond  Callao,  going  in  the 
same  general  direction. 

"  They  have  taken  the  road  to  Bella  Vista,  that's 
certain.  Now  we  can  go  faster." 

Spurs  were  pressed  to  flanks,  whips  were  let  fall, 
and  the  horses  dashed  forward  on  a  run.  The  three 
men  were  in  front  and  the  boys  close  behind. 
The  animals  that  had  been  brought  from  the  Santa 
Rosa  fort  were  the  best  in  the  stables,  for  General 


268  nsrcALAND. 

Matajente,  who  had  been  the  guest,  during  the  even 
ing,  of  the  commanding  officer,  and  had  heard  Louis's 
and  Harvey's  petition  for  steeds,  had  warmly 
seconded  their  request  and  finally  had  selected  the 
mounts  himself.  Accustomed  to  command,  the  little 
officer  had  unconsciously  taken  the  head  of  the  party ; 
and  Mr.  Dartmoor  was  rejoiced  thereat,  for  the 
courage  and  ability  of  the  general  had  been  tested 
many  times,  and  was  known  to  equal  that  of  any  man 
in  the  service  of  Peru. 

It  is  two  miles  from  Callao  to  Bella  Vista,  and 
within  five  minutes  after  leaving  the  city  they  drew 
rein  in  the  little  settlement,  their  horses  snorting, 
with  heads  uplifted,  necks  arched,  flecks  of  foam 
dropping  from  their  mouths,  and  sweat  commencing 
to  show  on  their  shoulders. 

"  Two  roads  branch  from  here,"  said  the  general, 
"  and  we  must  decide  quickly  which  to  take.  Seiior 
Cisneros,  perhaps  you  can  aid  us  again." 

The  resident  of  Huari  had  already  dismounted,  and 
he  went  at  once  to  the  fork,  then  walked  rapidly  in 
a  stooping  posture  along  the  highway  to  the  right. 
It  was  still  bright  moonlight  and  would  be  for  several 
hours,  so  that  he  had  little  difficulty  in  scanning  the 
ground.  After  going  a  hundred  feet  or  so,  he  re 
turned  with  the  information  that  no  one  had  recently 
passed  that  way,  except  a  party  of  two  or  three,  and 
they  had  moved  at  a  walk.  Then  he  moved  over 


A   CHASE    INTO   THE  PAMPAS   COUNTRY.        269 

the  left  branch,  going  even  farther  this  time,  and 
upon  returning  he  said  :  — 

"  Not  a  person  has  passed  over  this  road  on  horse 
back  in  the  last  twenty-four  hours." 

They  looked  at  one  another  in  alarm.  Had  a 
mistake  been  made  and  all  this  time  wasted  ?  Who 
had  given  the  wrong  direction,  the  policeman  or  the 
soldier  ? 

But  suddenly  the  general  exclaimed  :  "  There 
may  be  a  clever  rogue  in  that  party.  To  horse, 
senor  !  I  have  a  plan,"  and  riding  forward,  he 
led  them  along  the  road  that  branched  to  the 
left. 

"  Where  can  he  be  going  ? "  asked  Mr.  Dart 
moor.  "  He  must  realize  that  every  moment 
counts." 

"  He  believes  they  made  a  detour,  and  so  do  I," 
replied  Senor  Cisneros. 

The  general  rode  at  a  rapid  gait  full  a  quarter  of 
a  mile,  bending  down  close  to  the  saddle,  his  head 
almost  on  a  level  with  his  horse's  neck,  scanning  the 
white   roadway ;    then,   drawing  rein   suddenly,  he 
exclaimed  in  a  triumphant  tone  :  — 
uTry  it  again,  senor,  at  this  point." 
Senor  Cisneros  was  no  sooner  on  his  feet  than  he 
said  :   "  Yes,  here  are  the  tracks  !     They  came  out  of 
the  short  grass  at  this  point." 

"  And  they  entered  it  below  Bella  Vista,  believing 


270  INCALAND. 

they  could  throw  us  off  the  trail  !  "  added  General 
Matajente.  "Now  I  think  we  have  them.  The 
road  is  straight  to  the  Rirnac,  then  follows  along  its 
bank  for  ten  miles,  and  after  that  comes  a  bridle 
path  up  the  hills.  Forward  !  Not  too  fast,  senores  ! 
Easy  with  the  horses  for  a  few  minutes,  then  we'll 
let  them  out !  " 

They  rode  close.  No  words  were  exchanged  ;  the 
only  sounds  were  the  hoof-beats  and  the  hoarse 
breathing  of  the  horses.  The  speed  was  increased 
gradually,  General  Matajente  setting  the  pace,  and 
soon  the  gnarled  cacti  and  dwarf  shrubs  of  the 
pampas  country  seemed  to  pass  them  by  as  do  ob 
jects  seen  from  the  window  of  a  train.  A  half  hour 
of  this  riding  brought  a  mass  of  vegetation  in  sight 
ahead  :  rows  of  bamboos,  palms,  and  willows.  The 
soil  became  more  fertile  ;  thick,  heavy  grass,  dotted 
here  and  there  with  yellow  lilies,  took  the  place  of 
the  dry  vegetation. 

They  had  reached  the  valley  of  the  Rimac.  From 
the  dense  underbrush  on  each  side  darted  birds  ;  the 
cries  of  others  sounded.  A  silver  thread  shone  be 
tween  an  opening  in  the  woods  ahead,  and  in  another 
minute  the  road  turned  more  to  the  east,  commenced 
to  follow  the  wanderings  of  the  river,  and  became 
no  longer  level  but  slightly  up  grade. 

"  Halt  !  "  said  General  Matajente,  and  when  they 
had  drawn  rein  he  added  :  "  A  five  minutes'  rest 


A   CHASE   INTO   THE   PAMPAS   COUNTRY.        271 

now  may  be  worth  a  mile  of  extra  speed  later. 
Everybody  dismount  !  Now  let's  lead  the  animals 
to  the  bank  and  let  them  drink.  But  only  a  little. 
Remember,  boys,  only  a  swallow  or  two.  Beat  them 
back  if  you  have  to." 

They  did  as  he  directed,  and  had  no  little  trouble 
restraining  the  heated,  panting  animals  ;  then  re 
turned  to  the  road  again  and  waited  by  the  horses' 
sides  until  the  word  was  given  to  mount,  when  they 
started  once  more,  convinced  that  they  were  on  the 
right  track,  for  all  had  been  able  to  see  the  imprints 
of  hoofs  on  the  roadway. 

"  The  scoundrels  didn't  stop  to  water  here,"  said 
General  Matajente  to  Mr.  Dartmoor,  when  they  were 
riding  again.  "  They  probably  tried  it  farther  along 
and  failed,  for  the  banks  are  too  high.  I  tell  you, 
my  friend,  we've  got  them  !  " 

The  iron  merchant  reached  out  his  hand  and 
grasped  that  which  the  little  officer  had  extended. 
No  further  words  were  exchanged,  for  the  father 
was  too  choked  for  utterance. 

Fragrance  from  heliotrope  bushes  came  to  them, 
borne  on  the  light  wind  that  swept  down  from  the 
mountains.  The  road  turned  frequently,  and  at  no 
time  could  they  see  far  ahead  ;  it  was  thrown  into 
shadow  in  places  by  dense  grasses,  and  in  others 
stretched  away  in  clear  moonlight.  On  they  rode, 
faster  and  faster,  the  horses  needing  very  little 


272  INCALAND. 

urging,  for  they  sprang  forward  gladly  in  the  clear, 
cool  night.  An  hour  passed  without  a  word  being 
said  by  any  one,  then  the  silence  was  broken  by 
the  general. 

"  They  should  not  be  far  off  now.  I  don't  believe 
they  had  over  a  half  hour's  start,  and  they  do  not 
know  how  to  save  their  horses.  Besides,  the  most 
of  the  animals  they  have  cannot  compare  with  these. 
Of  course  those  which  they  took  from  your  stables 
are  runners,  but  all  the  others  must  be  ordinary 
cavalry  mounts." 

Mr.  Dartmoor  nodded  his  head,  to  signify  that  he 
understood,  but  he  did  not  speak. 

Still  they  rode  on,  sweeping  under  willows  that 
touched  their  heads  and  shoulders,  curving  in  and 
out  between  the  bamboo  rows,  at  times  near  the 
river,  again  several  rods  from  the  bank,  following 
the  winding  road  that  by  this  time  had  narrowed  so 
that  only  two  could  ride  abreast,  and  was  increasing 
in  up  grade.  They  had  passed  through  an  unusually 
long  stretch  of  forest  and  had  emerged  into  an  equally 
long  reach  of  roadway,  lighted  by  the  moon,  which 
was  still  about  two  hours  high  —  for  it  was  nearly 
midnight  —  when  General  Matajente  yelled  :  - 

"  There  they  are  !  "  and  pointed  to  markings 
straight  ahead  that  at  first  looked  like  tall  bushes, 
indicating  another  turn,  but  which  a  second  glance 
told  were  moving. 


A   CHASE   INTO   THE   PAMPAS   COUNTRY.        273 

A  burst  of  speed  followed  his  exclamation,  for 
reins  had  been  loosened,  rowels  dug  into  the  horses 
feverishly,  and  whips  let  fall.  The  pursued  were 
not  a  quarter  of  a  mile  distant  and  the  pursuers 
were  rapidly  nearing  them,  for  the  shadows  grew  in 
size.  Indeed,  they  grew  so  rapidly  that  the  general 
looked  with  care,  and  then  cried  sharply,  "  Halt  !  " 
catching  Mr.  Dartmoor's  horse  by  the  bridle,  throw 
ing  both  the  front  animals  almost  on  their  haunches 
and  bringing  those  behind  to  a  stand. 

"What  do  you  mean?"  exclaimed  the  iron  mer 
chant,  angrily.  He  had  drawn  his  revolver. 

"You  must  not  fire.  Remember  the  girls  are 
with  them." 

Mr.  Dartmoor  replaced  the  weapon  in  his  pocket. 
"  But  why  do  we  stop  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  They  have  stopped.  And  see,  one  of  the  band 
is  coming  to  meet  us.  They  want  to  parley.  Let 
me  speak  with  him,  will  you  ?  " 

"Yes,  yes,  and  pardon  me,  general." 

The  little  officer  rode  ahead  a  few  paces,  and 
Senor  Cisneros  moved  up  to  Mr.  Dartmoor's  side, 
then  all  pressed  closer. 

A  man  clad  in  a  ragged  uniform  came  riding 
slowly  from  the  group  beyond. 

"  Well,  what  is  it,  fellow  ?  "  said  the  officer. 

"  General  Matajente  !  "  The  tone  showed  the 
surprise  felt  by  the  bandit,  but  noticing  the  small 


274  INCALAND. 

numbers  behind   the   intrepid  warrior,  he  regained 
courage  and  said  insolently  :  — 

"  Our  captain  wants  money." 

"  Who,  pray,  is  your  captain  ?  " 

"  Captain  Alfred.  He  sends  word  that  the  senori- 
tas  must  be  paid  for." 

"  If  I  did  right,  I  would  shoot  you  down,  you  dog." 

"Then  they  would  kill  the  senoritas." 

"  And  what  would  happen  to  the  murderers  ?  " 

The  bandit  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  We  are 
forty  and  you  are  six,"  he  said. 

"  So  many  as  that  !  "  General  Matajente  was  heard 
to  murmur ;  then  aloud  he  said,  "  What  do  you 
propose  ?  " 

"  The  captain  wants  twenty  thousand  pesos  (dol 
lars),  seiior  commandante,  and  he  will  release  the 
senoritas  unharmed." 

"  And  if  he  is  refused  ?  " 

The  bandit  drew  his  hand  across  his  throat  sig 
nificantly. 

"  Stop  !  "  implored  Seiior  Cisneros,  seizing  Mr. 
Dartmoor's  bridle  rein, 

"  Twenty  thousand  dollars  !  You  don't  suppose 
we've  anywhere  near  that  sum  at  our  command  !  " 

"  Our  captain  says  that  you  can  get  it,  sefior  com 
mandante.  He  knows  of  the  gold  mine." 

"  But  even  if  we  could  get  the  money,  it  would 
take  a  long  time.  Will  you  return  the  senoritas  to 
us  if  we  promise  to  pay  ?  " 


A   CHASE   INTO   THE   PAMPAS   COUNTRY.        275 

"  I  will  ask  the  captain,"  was  the  answer,  and  the 
man  rode  back.  He  soon  returned.  "  No,  serior 
comuiandante.  The  captain  will  keep  the  senoritas, 
and  they  will  be  taken  to  our  camp  near  Chosica. 
He  promises  they  will  be  unharmed  if  you  will  do 
what  he  says." 

"  What  is  that  ?  " 

"  Return  to  Callao,  secure  the  money,  then  two  of 
you,  not  more,  come  to  Chosica  twenty-four  hours 
from  now.  We  shall  be  able  to  see  you  approaching 
a  mile  away.  If  more  than  two  come,  it  will  be  use 
less,  for  no  one  will  appear  ;  but  if  you  do  as  the 
captain  says,  the  senoritas  will  be  delivered  to  you." 

"  That  can  never  be  !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Dartmoor. 
"  Twenty-four  hours  in  those  rascals'  hands  !  The 
girls  had  better  be  dead.  Let's  advance,  general." 

"  Please  don't  interfere,"  urged  the  officer.  Then 
to  the  bandit  he  said,  "  What  do  you  suppose  will 
happen  to  you  later  ?  " 

"  Quien  sabe  ?  "  (who  knows)  and  he  shrugged  his 
shoulders  again.  "  We  shall  have  the  money." 

Harvey  pushed  forward  his  horse  just  then  to  the 
side  of  General  Matajente,  and  began  to  whisper 
earnestly  in  his  ear.  After  a  few  minutes  the 
officer  said  :  — 

"  This  young  man  wishes  to  return  with  you  and 
reassure  his  sister  and  her  companion.  Will  you 
take  him?" 


276  INCALAND. 

"  What  answer  shall  I  give  the  captain  ?  " 

"That  depends  upon  whether  the  senoritas  are 
unharmed  and  whether  you  do  what  we  ask.  When 
the  boy  returns  you  come  with  him  and  we  will 
give  the  reply." 

"Very  well,  seiior  commandante.  I  can  see  no 
harm  in  that,"  and  wheeling  his  horse  he  went  back 
over  the  road,  with  the  boy  following. 

As  soon  as  they  were  out  of  earshot  General 
Matajente  said  earnestly  :  — 

"  When  they  return,  hold  your  horses  ready  for  a 
sudden  dash.  Draw  your  revolvers,  but  keep  them 
concealed." 

"What  do  you  propose  ?"  asked  Senor  Cisneros. 

"  I  do  not  understand  clearly  myself,  as  yet. 
Harvey  has  formed  some  plan,  and  will  tell  more 
when  he  has  seen  his  sister  and  Senorita  Caceras  !  " 

The  lad  had  indeed  thought  of  a  way  to  outwit 
the  bandits.  It  came  to  him  suddenly,  and  was  not 
fully  matured  even  when  he  started  from  General 
Matajente's  side,  but  as  he  rode  on  he  saw  more 
clearly,  and  his  heart  beat  fast  and  the  blood  surged 
to  his  cheeks.  "  If  they  are  only  mounted  on  Nig 
ger  and  Tom,"  he  thought.  "  If  they  only " 

His  guide  stopped  further  reflection  by  the  sharp 
command,  "  Wait  here,  while  I  ride  on,"  and  Harvey 
reined  in  his  horse  under  an  ironwood  tree,  about 
fifty  yards  from  the  group,  which  could  now  be  seen 
distinctly  ah«ad. 


A   CHASE   INTO   THE   PAMPAS   COUNTRY.        277 

The  envoy  evidently  conferred  with  the  leader, 
for  after  a  few  minutes  another  voice  called  out, 
"  Ride  up  !  quick  now  !  "  and  the  boy  urged  his 
horse  forward.  He  was  permitted  to  approach 
within  a  few  feet,  and  there  he  saw  his  sister 
and  her  friend,  both  mounted  on  horses  and  seated 
astride. 

"  Thank  God  !  "  he  thought,  "  Rosita  is  on  Nigger 
and  Bella  is  on  Tom." 

The  girls  were  not  bound,  nor  were  they  gagged, 
but  forming  a  semicircle  behind  and  at  the  sides  of 
them,  partly  in  the  road  and  partly  in  the  long  grass, 
were  a  dozen  mounted  bandits,  revolvers  shining  in 
their  hands.  The  girls  were  very  pale,  but  did  not 
appear  to  have  been  injured  in  any  way.  They 
looked  like  ghosts  there  in  the  moonlight,  clad  in 
the  white  dresses  they  had  donned  for  the  evening 
at  Chucuito.  They  were  strangely  silent,  and  the 
only  greeting  given  Harvey  was  with  their  wild, 
staring  eyes. 

The  man  who  had  called  out  rode  from  the  centre, 
and  Harvey  saw  that  he  was  Alfred,  the  discharged 
servant. 

"  Want  to  speak  with  your  sister,  eh,  boy  ?  Well, 
you  can.  They're  all  right.  Yes,  you  may  answer," 
he  added,  turning  to  the  girls.  "  You  see,  we  told 
them  we'd  blow  their  brains  out  if  they  said  any 
thing." 


278 


INCALAND. 


"  Oh,  Harvey  !  Save  us  !  Save  us  !  Isn't  papa 
coming  ?  " 

"It  will  be  all  right,  Rosita,"  the  boy  answered 
nervously.  "  Have  you  been  hurt  ?  " 

"No,  not  much.  My  side  pains  me,  for  I  was 
lifted  suddenly  into  the  saddle." 

"  How  are  you,  Bella  ?  " 

The  Peruvian  girl,  who  had  not  yet  spoken,  an 
swered  hurriedly  and  somewhat  wildly,  "It's  horri 
ble  !  horrible  !  " 

Harvey  gained  control  of  himself  by  an  effort,  and 
said  :  "  We're  going  to  get  you  out  of  this  all  right. 
Don't  worry  any  more.  I've  got  to  go  now.  Keep 
up  your  courage." 

As  he  turned  his  horse,  the  bandit  who  had  been 
an  envoy  rode  out  from  the  bushes  to  his  side. 

"  One  moment,"  said  the  leader,  and  Harvey  drew 
rein. 

"  You  can  tell  your  father  and  the  others  that  the 
girls  are  in  front  and  we  propose  to  keep  them  there. 
If  any  of  you  fire,  they  will  be  hit  first.  Now  go 
back,  and  I  think  you  will  advise  the  old  gentleman 
to  pay." 

On  the  return  trip  Harvey  continued  saying  to 
himself,  "  Rosita  is  on  Nigger  and  Bella  on  Tom." 

"  How  are  they,  my  son  ?  "  called  Mr.  Dartmoor, 
as  soon  as  the  two  were  within  hailing  distance. 

"They   have    not   been    hurt,"   replied    the    boy, 


A    CHASE    INTO   THE   PAMPAS    COUNTRY.        279 

who  then  rode  rapidly  to  the  side  of  General  Ma- 
tajente. 

"  The  captain  wants  his  answer,  seiior  comman- 
dante,"  exclaimed  the  bandit. 

"  Just  a  minute  ;  wait  till  I  hear  the  lad's  report." 

Meanwhile  Harvey  had  been  whispering  rapidly  : 
w'  The  girls  are  on  our  horses,  Rosita  on  Louis's  and 
Bella  on  mine.  They  are  the  swiftest  horses  in  Chu- 
cuito.  Both  are  several  steps  in  advance  of  the  men, 
and  no  one  is  touching  them.  They  are  good  riders. 
Shall  I  do  it  ?  " 

"  Yes,  and  God  help  you.     Quick  now  !  " 

The  boy  swung  his  horse  round,  and  rising  from 
his  saddle  }^elled  at  the  top  of  his  voice  :  — 

"  Coo-ee  !     Coo-ee  !  " 

It  was  a  call  used  by  brothers  and  sister.  When 
out  riding,  if  they  became  separated  and  wished  to 
attract  one  another's  attention,  this  was  their  signal. 
It  meant  to  hurry  as  well. 

"  Coo-ee  !     Coo-ee  !  " 

Horses  had  learned  the  call,  as  well  as  the  boys 
and  the  girl.  The  animals  always  pricked  their 
ears  and  started  toward  the  sound  when  it  rang 
out. 

"  Coo-ee!     Coo-ee!" 

A  sharp  ring  of  hoofs  ;  a  scream  from  up  the 
road  —  a  scream,  the  intonation  of  which  showed 
that  the  one  who  gave  vent  to  it  understood. 


280  IJSTC  ALAND. 

Quick  as  a  flash  General  Matajente  wheeled  his 
horse,  dashed  up  to  the  solitary  bandit,  and  gave 
him  a  blow  on  the  head  with  the  butt  of  his  revolver 
that  caused  the  man  to  reel  and  fall  from  his  saddle. 

"  Open  ranks  there  !  "  called  the  general.  "  Let 
the  girls  through  !  " 

Two  black  streaks,  bearing  fluffy  burdens  of  white, 
were  moving  swiftly  down  the  moonlit  road,  fol 
lowed  several  yards  behind  by  a  dense  mass,  from 
which  came  cries  and  yells. 

"Close  in  after  the  girls,  Dartmoor  and  Cisneros!" 
ordered  the  little  officer.  "  Carl  and  Louis  go  next  ! 
Harvey,  stay  with  me  !  " 

On  came  Nigger  and  Tom,  gaining  with  every 
stride  of  their  magnificent  limbs ;  on  into  their 
midst  and  through  them,  down  the  road,  and  as  they 
went  the  two  men  and  two  boys  followed  and  covered 
the  retreat. 

"  Fire  !  "  called  General  Matajente,  who  had  taken 
his  revolver  from  a  saddle  pouch.  Two  shots  rang 
out,  one  from  his  weapon  and  one  discharged  by 
Harvey.  A  man  fell  from  the  front  rank  of  those 
who  pursued,  a  horse  toppled  over,  and  there  was 
confusion  in  the  mass. 

"  Now  ride  for  it  !  "  called  the  general,  and  off  the 
two  started,  down  the  road,  following  the  others. 

Soon  cries  came  again  from  the  rear,  horses  at  a 
gallop  were  heard,  and  an  intermittent  firing  began. 


"Two  black  streaks,  bearing  fluffy  burdens  of  white,  were  moving  swiftly  down 
the  moonlit  road." 


A   CHASE   INTO   THE   PAMPAS   COUNTRY.        281 

But  the  bandits  were  riding  hard  and  their  aim  was 
poor. 

"  On  with  you  !  "  exclaimed  General  Matajente, 
digging  spurs  into  his  horse.  "  Ah  !  What's 
that  ? "  and  he  pointed  to  a  dense  mass  ahead  of 
them,  ahead  even  of  the  girls  and  their  escorts,  a 
mass  that  was  coming  forward  swiftly.  "  Cavalry  ! 
The  commandante  of  Santa  Rosa  fort !  He  said  that 
he  would  follow." 

It  was  indeed  a  squadron,  and  the  ranks  opened 
to  let  the  fugitives  pass  through,  then  re-formed  with 
General  Matajente  at  the  head.  The  bandits,  not 
seeing  the  increased  force  because  of  a  turn  in  the 
road,  came  on  wildly,  and  were  met  by  a  withering 
volley  from  carbines.  There  was  a  short,  sharp 
struggle,  and  in  five  minutes  twenty  men  lay  dead 
or  wounded  on  the  ground,  and  a  score  more  had 
been  made  prisoners. 

Then  all  rode  back  to  Callao,  Rosita  still  on 
Nigger,  close  by  her  father's  side,  while  Bella  Cace- 
ras,  on  Tom,  had  Louis  and  Harvey  as  escorts. 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

OLD   GLORY   IN   THE   BAY. 

"  The  star-spangled  banner, 
O  long  may  it  wave  ! 
O'er  the  land  of  the  free 
And  the  home  of  the  brave." 

ENERAL  MATAJENTE  and  Senor  Cisneros 
acted  as  hosts  one  afternoon,  a  week  after  the 
stirring  events  related  in  the  last  two  chapters,  and 
entertained  as  guests  at  luncheon  those  who  were 
about  to  undertake  the  overland  journey  north.  The 
tables  were  set  in  the  grand  salle  of  the  big  hotel  on 
the  tip  of  La  Punta. 

The  truce  agreed  upon  by  the  commanders  of  the 
land  and  sea  forces  would  end  with  the  going  down 
of  the  sun  on  the  morrow,  and  it  was  expected  that 
warlike  operations  would  be  renewed  with  vigor. 
This  meant  active  work  for  the  general,  and  as  his 
friends  would  leave  for  the  States  within  twenty-four 
hours,  he  had  suggested  this  means  of  bidding  fare 
well. 

282 


OLD   GLORY   IN   THE   BAY.  283 

Don  Isaac  was  also  there,  and  so  were  Senor  and 
Senora  Caceras  and  Bella.  The  latter  would,  of 
course,  remain  in  Peru  ;  at  least  everybody  thought 
they  would  remain,  until,  immediately  after  rising 
from  the  table,  Mr.  Dartmoor  announced  that  he  had 
persuaded  Senor  Caceras  to  send  his  wife  and 
daughter  to  the  States  with  them.  There  was  much 
rejoicing  among  the  young  people  at  this,  for  they 
had  been  drawn  very  close  by  the  perils  through 
which  they  had  passed. 

"  I  don't  see  how  it  is  possible  for  me  to  get  ready," 
said  the  senora. 

"  Try,"  urged  Mrs.  Dartmoor.  "  I  will  help  you 
to-night  and  to-morrow  morning." 

"  I  would  advise  you  to  make  the  journey,  madam," 
said  Don  Isaac.  "  Your  daughter  does  not  seem  to 
have  been  well  since  her  exciting  experience." 

"No,  she  has  not,  and  I  suppose  the  journey,  es 
pecially  the  sea  voyage,  would  be  of  great  benefit." 

"  Indeed  it  will,"  assented  Mrs.  Dartmoor.  "  Ro- 
sita  also  needs  a  change.  She  has  become  very 
nervous.  For  that  matter,  I  think  we  have  all  been 
somewhat  upset  by  these  trying  times.  I  wish  your 
husband  could  accompany  us. " 

"  I  may  be  able  to  do  so,  at  least  as  far  as  Panama," 
he  said. 

"  Then  I  shall  go,"  said  Senora  Caceras. 

Bella  brightened  at  this,  and  Harvey,  who  had 


284  INCALAND. 

appeared  somewhat  worried  when  the  conversation 
had  taken  a  doubtful  tone,  exclaimed  in  unromantic, 
but  no  less  hearty,  tones,  "  Isn't  that  bully  !  " 

"  General  Matajente,  I  wish  that  you  could  go," 
said  Mrs.  Dartmoor. 

"  Duty,  senora,  compels  me  to  remain." 

"  And  you,  Senor  Cisneros  ?  " 

"I  must  return  to  Huari." 

From  the  large  salle  in  which  luncheon  had  been 
served  they  went  to  the  broad  veranda  above,  where 
there  were  many  chairs,  and  from  where  they  could 
enjoy  the  beautiful  view  of  the  bay,  the  seacoast  city 
beyond,  and  Lima  in  the  distance. 

Both  Carl  and  his  father  felt  a  twinge  of  sadness 
when  they  saw  the  suite  of  rooms  where  they  had 
passed  so  many  happy  months  before  Mrs.  Saunders 
had  returned  to  the  States  with  Harold,  but  this  was 
followed  by  the  glad  thought  that  they  would  soon 
be  speeding  north,  homeward  bound. 

While  the  adults  drew  chairs  near  the  centre  of  the 
broad  balcony,  the  young  people  walked  to  the  end, 
from  where  they  could  command  a  better  view  of  the 
bay  and  also  of  San  Lorenzo. 

"  Oh,  those  were  happy  days  when  we  could  row 
over  there  in  the  practice  boats !  "  exclaimed  Louis, 
pointing  to  the  big  island. 

"  Are  not  these  days  happy,  sir  ? "  asked  Bella 
Caceras. 


OLD    GLORY    IN    THE   BAY.  285 

"  Y-e-s,"  he  stammered,  somewhat  confused. 
"You  know,  I  meant " 

"  Well,  what  did  you  mean  ? "  she  demanded 
laughingly. 

"  It  was  a  different  kind  of  happiness,"  said  Har 
vey,  coming  to  the  rescue. 

"  You  said  that  very  prettily  ;   didn't  he,  Rosita  ?  " 

"Yes,  he  did.  But  tell  the  honest  truth,  boys, 
where  would  you  rather  be  —  out  in  the  bay,  or  talk 
ing  with  us  here,  on  the  veranda  ?  " 

"  Here,"  replied  Carl. 

"  So  I  say,"  Louis  replied. 

"  And  you,  Harvey  ?  " 

"  I  would  rather  be  out  in  the  bay,  and  have  you 
girls  with  us." 

At  this  they  all  laughed  heartily. 

"  Look,  there's  another  ship  coming  to  join  the 
fleet !  "  exclaimed  the  youngest  lad,  pointing  sea 
ward  ;  and  they  saw  a  seventh  vessel  farther  out, 
heading  toward  the  six  that  composed  the  blockad 
ing  squadron. 

"  It  was  there  that  you  were  capsized,  was  it  not  ?  " 
asked  Bella  of  Louis. 

"  Yes,  just  off  the  end  of  San  Lorenzo,  near  where 
the  Blanco  Encalada  is  cruising.  My !  Carl,  but 
that  was  an  anxious  evening !  I  don't  believe  I  ever 
told  you  how  frightened  I  was  during  the  hours  that 
we  clung  to  the  overturned  cat-boat." 


286  INCALAND. 

"  No,  and  I  never  told  you.  I  think  we  kept  one 
another's  courage  up,  don't  you  ?  " 

"  Yes  I'm  sure  we  did." 

" Let's  leave  this  place,"  said  Harvey,  "and  go 
where  the  others  are.  It  makes  me  homesick  to 
look  out  over  the  bay." 

"  Why  ?  "  asked  the  girls. 

"  Because  the  ships  are  all  gone.  It's  like  going 
through  a  house  where  everybody  is  dead." 

"  Ugh  !  what  a  comparison  !  " 

Captain  Saunders  was  talking  when  they  came 
near,  and  they  drew  up  chairs  and  listened.  He 
had  been  telling  those  near  him  of  a  lonely  six 
months  he  had  passed  in  Nicaragua,  soon  after  the 
close  of  the  war,  when  he  had  been  compelled  to 
remain  in  that  country  as  an  attache  to  the  United 
States  legation. 

"I  had  not  been  long  married,"  he  was  saying, 
"and  had  left  Mrs.  Saunders  and  Carl  in  the 
States,  for  there  was  no  steamship  communication 
then,  and  the  voyage  to  many  parts  of  the  Central 
American  coast  was  made  in  sailing  vessels.  It  was 
a  very  lonely  life,  there  were  few  congenial  spirits, 
and  the  one  or  two  who  were  companionable  were 
as  homesick  as  I.  On  three  occasions  I  was  sorely 
tempted  to  go  on  board  a  steamer  and  sail  for  New 
York,  and  it  is  curious  to  note  how  old  associations 
influenced  me  at  such  times." 


OLD   GLORY   IN   THE   BAY.  287 

"  How  was  that  ?  "  inquired  Don  Isaac. 

"  The  first,"  said  the  captain,  "  occurred  one  hot 
afternoon  while  I  was  lying  in  a  hammock  under  a 
cypress  tree.  It  was  a  very  oppressive  day  and  I 
was  endeavoring  to  sleep,  when  suddenly  from  some 
where  came  the  notes  of  violin  music.  Somebody 
was  playing,  'Maryland,  my  Maryland.'  The  air 
at  once  brought  before  my  mind  the  two  years  I  had 
passed  at  college  in  northern  Ohio,  for  one  of  my 
old  fraternity  songs  had  been  set  to  this  music.  I 
saw  the  fresh  green  campus,  bordered  with  maples, 
the  gray  weather-stained  dormitories,  the  red  brick 
gymnasium,  and  before  me  passed  one  after  another 
of  my  old  college  friends.  An  irresistible  longing 
came  to  rise  and  hurry  to  the  land  where  they  lived, 
away  from  that  land  of  strangers." 

"And  the  second  time?"  asked  Senor  Cisne- 
ros. 

"  Was  one  night  while  lying  awake  and  tortured 
with  fever  I  heard  the  strains  of  '  Home,  Sweet 
Home.'  Then  came  a  picture  of  my  wife  and  child, 
of  the  wooden  house,  opposite  the  Episcopal  church, 
in  the  little  village  where  I  had  left  them.  I  could 
see  the  yard,  the  well-sweep,  yes,  and  I  could  hear 
the  wooden  roller  creak  as  the  bucket  was  hauled 
from  the  cool  depths  ;  and  in  my  longing  I  believe 
I  called  out  for  some  of  that  cold,  crystal  water 
which  I  had  drunk  when  a  boy." 


I?88  1NCALAND. 

"The  third?" 

"The  third,"  said  Captain  Saunders,  sitting  up 
right,  "  was  at  Greytown,  or  San  Juan  del  Norte, 
on  a  Christmas  day.  I  was  looking  out  into  the 
bay  when  there  rounded  a  cape  and  steamed  in  full 
view  a  ship  of  graceful  lines,  and  I  saw  fluttering 
from  her  gaff " 

"  Oh,  father  !  "  interrupted  Carl.  "  A  man-of-war 
is  coming  into  the  harbor !  " 

They  all  jumped  to  their  feet,  and  hastened  to  the 
end  of  the  veranda. 

"  There,"  said  the  captain,  "  there's  the  picture 
I  saw.  Look  !  The  stars  and  stripes !  An  Ameri 
can  war-ship  has  arrived." 

It  was  so.  A  cruiser,  of  graceful  lines  and  taper 
ing  masts,  was  moving  slowly  over  the  passive  waters 
of  the  bay,  and  streaming  from  her  halyards  was 
Old  Glory.  They  watched  her  in  silence  as  she 
steamed  to  a  point  opposite  Chucuito,  where  the 
anchor  was  let  go,  and  then  the  stillness  of  the  after 
noon  was  broken  by  the  discharge  of  cannon  as  her 
forward  guns  fired  a  salute  to  the  Peruvian  flag  that 
had  been  broken  at  the  fore  truck. 

"  That  must  be  the  Pensacola"  said  Harvey. 

"  Yes,  and  Brown  is  her  captain,"  Captain  Saun 
ders  exclaimed. 

"Why  has  she  come  here,  do  you  suppose?"  asked 
Mr.  Dartmoor. 


OLD   GLOKY    IN   THE   BAY.  289 

"  To  take  Americans  and  other  foreigners  to  the 
north  before  a  general  bombardment  is  begun. 
Brown  has  probably  received  word  that  Chile  con 
templates  aggressive  action,  and  he  has  come  to  our 
rescue.  Dartmoor,  our  overland  journey  need  not 
be  undertaken.  We  can  sail  north  in  an  American 
man-of-war." 

A  half  hour  later  they  left  the  hotel  and  went  by 
the  little  train,  some  to  Chucuito  and  others  to  Cal- 
lao.  While  walking  to  the  station,  Bella  Caceras, 
who  had  been  very  quiet  ever  since  the  advent  of 
the  Pensacola,  stepped  to  Captain  Saunders's  side 
and  said  to  him:  — 

"  I'm  so  sorry.  No,  not  exactly  sorry,  because 
I'm  glad  for  your  sake,  but  I'm  sorry  for  ours." 

"  Sorry  about  what,  young  lady  ?  " 

"  That  mamma  and  I  cannot  go  to  the  United 
States." 

"  But  why  can't  you  go  ?  " 

"  You  said,  didn't  you,  that  the  war  vessel  would 
take  away  Americans  and  other  foreigners?  We 
are  Peruvians." 

"  Bless  my  heart !  "  ejaculated  the  captain,  "  if 
you  look  at  old  Brown  only  half  as  wistfully  as  you 
do  at  me,  he  will  not  only  take  you,  but  will  sur 
render  his  cabin  for  your  occupancy.  Of  course 
you  will  go,  if  any  of  us  do.  I  promise  that." 

Whereat  Bella  became  happy  again,  and  ran  to  the 


290  INCALAND. 

side  of  her  mother  and  father,  to  whom  she  told  the 
good  news. 

That  evening  the  American  consul  sent  word  to 
the  members  of  the  foreign  colony  that  Captain 
Brown  of  the  Pemaeola  would  take  all  citizens  of 
the  United  States  on  board  the  Pensacola  on  the 
morrow  and  carry  them  to  Panama,  and  that  he 
extended  like  invitations  to  other  non-combatants 
who  wished  to  escape  from  the  beleaguered  city. 

"  The  word  '  non-combatant '  applies  to  you,  Miss 
Bella,"  said  Captain  Saunders,  smiling  at  the  young 
Peruvian. 

He  was  right.  The  commander  of  the  cruiser  was 
glad  that  he  could  grant  passage  to  the  friends  of 
the  Saunders  and  Dartmoors,  and  by  three  o'clock 
the  next  day  those  who  had  planned  the  overland 
trip  were  stowed  away,  bag  and  baggage,  on  the 
American  man-of-war.  As  she  steamed  out  of  port 
an  hour  later,  two  persons  waved  good-bys  from 
the  Peruvian  state  barge,  that  had  been  pulled  out 
into  the  harbor.  One  was  General  Matajente  and 
the  other  Seiior  Cisneros. 

The  war-ship  steamed  near  the  Blanco  Encalada, 
and  through  a  speaking-trumpet  Captain  Brown 
thanked  the  admiral  for  permitting  his  entrance  into 
the  harbor.  Then  the  course  was  shaped  for  the 
north. 

At  five  o'clock  the  land  was  but  a  blue  haze  in 


OLD    GLORY    IN   THE    BAY.  291 

the  distance.  Carl,  Louis,  and  Harvey  stood  at  the 
stern  rail  and  watched  the  fading  outlines. 

"  Good-by,  Peru,"  said  Carl,  finally.  "  I  suppose 
I  shall  never  see  you  again." 

"  Poor  Peru  !  "  exclaimed  Louis.  "  She  has  been 
kind  to  us.  I  wonder  what  her  future  will  be  ?  " 

Harvey  said  nothing,  but  to  him  the  shore  line 
was  even  more  dim  than  to  the  others,  for  a  mist 
had  formed  in  his  eyes. 


CHAPTER   XXII. 

DARK   DAYS   IN   INCALAND. 

THE  exodus  from  Callao  was  none  too  soon. 
The  day  following  the  departure  of  the  Pensa- 
cola,  the  Chilean  ships  steamed  close  in,  and  for 
forty-eight  hours  rained  shot  and  shell  into  Callao. 
Houses  were  set  on  fire  in  many  quarters,  and  had  it 
not  been  for  the  non-combustible  property  of  adobe, 
out  of  which  nearly  all  buildings  were  constructed, 
the  seaport  would  have  been  laid  in  ashes.  As  it 
was,  some  of  the  finest  residences  were  riddled,  and 
General  Matajente  learned  with  sorrow  that  the 
Dartmoor  Row  had  been  partly  destroyed. 

The  castles,  the  Santa  Rosa  fort,  the  guns  at  Los 
Bafios  and  those  at  La  Punta,  replied  vigorously  to 
the  fire,  striking  the  enemy  repeatedly  and  ulti 
mately  driving  them  out  of  range.  But  the  cruiser 
Angamos,  armed  with  her  powerful  rifle,  could  stand 
out  in  the  harbor  where  no  shot  could  reach  her,  and 
throw  shell  after  shell  into  the  town.  The  screech 
of  these  missiles  was  heard  night  and  day  ;  it  became 

292 


DARK   DAYS   IN   INCALAND.  293 

horrible  but  familiar  music,  and  men,  yes  even 
women,  slept  of  nights  while  the  projectiles  were 
speeding  on  their  way  to  give  destruction  and  per 
haps  death  at  their  journey's  end. 

August,  September,  and  October  of  1880  passed, 
and  no  move  to  the  north  was  made  by  the  Chilean 
land  forces.  Envoys  from  the  United  States  had 
arrived  in  Callao,  and  others  had  gone  on  to  Chile. 
They  came  with  proposals  of  arbitration  and  the 
expression  of  hope  that  peace  would  ultimately 
result.  They  came  instructed  to  do  all  in  their 
power,  to  settle  the  difficulties  between  the  republics, 
and  they  also  told  Chile  that  she  must  not  demand 
territory  from  Peru  as  the  price  of  peace.  While 
these  negotiations  were  pending  aggressive  opera 
tions  ceased,  and  although  the  blockade  of  Callao 
was  maintained,  there  were  no  bombardments. 

But  Chile  resented  interference  by  the  United 
States,  and  particularly  the  insistence  that  no  terri 
tory  should  be  demanded  from  Peru.  For  years  she 
had  had  eyes  fixed  on  the  rich  nitrate  beds  of  the 
Tarapaca  Province  —  the  richest  in  the  world,  and 
finally  the  government  of  the  southern  republic 
announced  that  Peru  and  her  ally,  Bolivia,  must 
yield  this  district  or  Chilean  armies  would  march  on 
Lima. 

Protests  were  in  vain.  November  brought  the 
news  that  army  corps  were  being  mobilized  in  Val- 


294  INCALAND. 

paraiso  and  in  the  captured  city,  Arica.  Early  in 
December  came  the  information  that  three  great 
divisions,  numbering  twenty-five  thousand  men  in 
all,  had  embarked  on  transports  and  were  sailing 
north.  A  week  later  a  fleet  of  nearly  fifty  ships 
appeared  off  the  Peruvian  coast,  a  few  miles  south  of 
Callao,  and  under  cover  of  the  guns  of  all  the  vessels 
of  Chile's  navy,  men-of  war  coming  from  the  south 
and  the  others  being  withdrawn  from  blockade  duty, 
this  great  force  was  landed. 

Peru  met  the  blow  as  best  she  could.  Her  army, 
which  had  deteriorated  during  the  long  inactivity, 
went  into  line  with  forebodings  of  disaster.  The 
troops  under  the  red,  white,  and  red  disputed  every 
foot  of  ground  between  the  capital  and  the  sea,  fight 
ing  fiercely  at  Chorillos,  Miraflores,  and  San  Juan, 
but  they  could  not  beat  back  the  enemy  ;  they  were 
defeated  and  routed,  and  Christmas  day  saw  the 
Chileans  in  Lima. 

But  the  Peruvian  army  liad  not  yet  yielded,  al 
though  the  enemy  had  taken  possession  of  the  capital ; 
the  troops  had  withdrawn  to  the  north,  and  from  there 
they  continued  to  wage  war.  Several  attempts  were 
made  by  the  United  States  to  bring  about  a  peace, 
overtures  to  arbitrate  were  frequently  advanced ; 
but  to  all  Chile  turned  a  deaf  ear,  and  insisted  that 
the  demands  made  in  1880,  that  the  nitrate  provinces 
be  surrendered,  must  be  met  before  the  troops  would 
be  withdrawn. 


DARK   DAYS   IN   INCALAND.  295 

For  three  years  this  desperate,  one-sided  struggle 
continued,  and  then  Peru,  compelled  to  purchase 
peace  at  any  price  or  lose  her  individuality  as  a 
nation,  made  the  best  terms  she  could.  Bolivia 
yielded  all  her  rights  on  the  seacoast,  and  Chile 
secured  the  port  of  Antofogasta  forever.  Peru 
yielded  the  province  of  Tarapaca,  and  by  the  final 
treaty,  signed  in  1884,  she  gave  to  Chile  for  a  term 
of  years  the  provinces  of  Arica  and  Tacna,  it  being 
agreed  that  in  1893  a  vote  of  the  people  should  be 
taken,  to  determine  to  what  power  'they  wished 
ultimately  to  belong. 

Thus  the  land  of  the  Incas  emerged  from  its  second 
overwhelming  defeat  —  the  first  at  the  hands  of 
Pizarro's  forces ;  the  second  at  the  hands  of  the 
Chileans. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

AN   APPEAL   TO   THE   UNITED    STATES   OF   AMERICA. 

THE  dawn  of  the  twentieth  century  found  Peru 
recovering  from  the  financial  depression  which 
had  followed  the  war,  but  still  far  from  the  position 
which  she  had  held  before  1879.  It  also  found 
her  knocking  at  the  door  of  the  great  republic  of  the 
north,  and  asking  that  a  protecting  arm  be  extended 
below  the  equator,  and  that  certain  promises  made 
years  before  be  fulfilled. 

In  the  whirl  that  marked  the  last  days  of  the 
nineteen-hundredth  term,  the  land  of  the  Incas  had 
been  lost  temporarily  from  view.  Peru's  ancient 
enemy,  Spain,  had  occupied  the  central  position,  and 
at  the  hands  of  the  vigorous  northern  country  had 
received  even  a  more  bitter  defeat  than  that  given 
her  on  the  west  coast  of  South  America  when  the 
countries  there  had  wrested  their  independence. 
The  Philippine  Islands  had  changed  in  their  alle 
giance,  so  had  Porto  Rico,  Guam,  Tutuila,  and  Ha 
waii,  and  Cuba  had  become  independent. 


AN   APPEAL   TO   THE   UNITED   STATES.          297 

All  these  events  had  overshadowed  that  which  had 
happened  and  was  happening  on  the  Western  Hemi 
sphere  to  the  south.  But  when  the  clouds  of  conflict 
cleared  away,  there  came  into  view  a  shade  on  the 
southern  horizon  that  told  of  trouble  there.  Peru 
was  seen  gesturing  and  asking  to  be  heard.  Permis 
sion  granted,  this  is  what  she  said  :  — 

"Twenty  years  ago  we  were  at  war  with  Chile, 
not  through  any  fault  of  ours,  but  to  save  our  south 
ern  provinces  from  being  taken  away  from  us.  Sev 
eral  times  during  the  early  stages  of  that  conflict  we 
had  opportunity  to  make  honorable  peace,  and  each 
time  we  were  deterred  because  of  the  word  that  you 
sent  us,  to  the  effect  that  exorbitant  terms  made  by 
the  enemy  should  not  be  listened  to,  and  that  you, 
with  your  great  force,  would  prevent  any  seizure  of 
our  territory.  We  listened  and  took  heart.  We 
continued  the  struggle  and  waited.  Internal  affairs 
withdrew  your  attention  from  us,  and  we  were  left 
to  do  the  best  that  we  could.  The  best  proved  the 
worst.  Our  richest  lands  were  seized,  and  other  land, 
almost  as  valuable,  was  taken  for  a  number  of  years, 
upon  a  promise  made  that  it  would  be  returned. 
That  promise  has  not  been  kept.  We  have  paid 
Chile  more  indemnity  than  was  paid  by  France  after 
the  Franco-German  War,  and  still  our  southern  neigh 
bor  insists  upon  the  pound  of  flesh  and  demands  com 
plete  cession  of  the  provinces  of  Arica  and  Tacna  in 


298  INCALAND. 

addition  to  Tarapaca.  Therefore,  we  appeal  to  you, 
to  the  United  States  of  America,  the  mother  of  all 
republics,  and  ask  that  you  insist  that  justice  be 
done." 


It  was  a  beautiful  afternoon  in  early  spring  of  the 
year  that  was  the  most  prosperous  in  United  States 
history.  A  man  of  about  thirty-six  or  seven  years 
of  age  was  hurrying  along  Pennsylvania  Avenue, 
not  looking  carefully  to  his  steps,  nor  minding  how 
carriages  might  be  approaching  at  street  crossings, 
so  occupied  was  he  with  his  thoughts.  He  was 
warned  by  several  coachmen  and  hailed  by  one  or 
more  bicyclists,  while  the  driver  of  an  automobile 
rang  his  gong  loudly  before  he  dodged  from  in  front 
of  the  rubber-tired  wheels.  Finally  he  ran  squarely 
into  another  man,  and  then  came  to  a  sudden  stop, 
for  he  must  needs  beg  pardon.  But  as  he  lifted  his 
hat  he  caught  sight  of  the  person's  face  and 
exclaimed  :  — 

"  Carl  Saunders  !  " 

"  Harvey  Dartmoor  !  " 

They  grasped  hands  warmly.  "Why,  we  have 
not  met  since  we  left  the  steamer  at  New  York 
in  1880." 

"That's  so.  More  than  twenty  years  ago.  In 
many  things  it  seems  like  yesterday  and  in  others 


AN   APPEAL  TO   THE   UNITED   STATES.          299 

a  century.  What  are  you  doing  in  Washington, 
Carl?" 

"  I  came  on  for  a  day,  to  attend  to  some  business 
for  father.  And  you,  Harvey  ?  " 

"  I  live  here.  At  least  I  have  a  home  here,  and 
pass  half  the  time ;  the  remainder  of  each  year  I  am 
in  Peru.  In  fact,  I  am  returning  the  day  after  to 
morrow.  That  reminds  me,  Carl,  I  have  a  very 
important  engagement  at  the  White  House." 

"  With  the  President  ?  " 

"  Yes,  with  the  President.  He  has  appointed  two 
o'clock  as  the  hour  when  I  may  see  him,  and  it  now 
lacks  but  five  minutes  of  that  time." 

"  Then  I  must  not  detain  you.  Come  and  see  me 
when  you  have  finished." 

"I  will.     Where?" 

Mr.  Saunders  named  a  hotel,  and  after  a  brief 
hand  clasp  they  parted. 

Ten  minutes  later,  in  the  White  House,  a  digni 
fied,  courtly  gentleman  asked  the  hurrying  pedes 
trian  of  Pennsylvania  Avenue  to  be  seated,  and  then 
he  said  :  — 

"  Have  I  the  pleasure  of  addressing  Mr.  Dart 
moor  ? "  * 

"  Yes,  your  Excellency." 

"The  Peruvian  minister  has  spoken  very  highly 
of  you,  sir,  as  one  of  the  leading  business  men  of  his 
country.  He  also  informs  me  that  you  are  a  citizen 


300  INCALAND. 

of  the  United  States,  and  despite  your  love  for  the 
sub-equatorial  country  you  have  never  forsworn 
your  allegiance." 

"  I  have  not,  sir  ;  nor  shall  I  ever  do  so." 

"  That  I  am  glad  to  hear.  It  should  not  be  an 
easy  matter  for  a  citizen  of  this  nation  to  relinquish 
the  ties.  And  now,  sir,  what  may  I  do  for  you  ?  " 

"  I  have  called,  your  Excellency,  to  place  before 
you  briefly  the  conditions  that  exist  in  Peru,  and  the 
causes  that  have  led  to  the  present  state  of  affairs, 
and  to  enlist  your  sympathy,  if  possible.  I  was  a 
spectator  of  many  events  of  the  war  that  began  in 
1879,  and,  since  then,  half  my  time  has  been  passed 
in  Lima  and  in  Callao.  If  you  will  grant  me  a  few 
minutes  of  your  valuable  time,  I  will  say  in  as  few 
words  as  possible  that  which  appeals  to  me  as  the 
meat  of  this  momentous  question." 

"  Proceed,  sir." 

"I  thank  you.  I  will  not  burden  you  with  the 
events  that  led  to  the  declaration  of  war,  nor  with 
an  account  of  the  war  itself,  for  that  is  not  germane, 
but  I  shall  come  at  once  to  the  time  when  the  United 
States  entered  upon  the  scene. 

"  In  1880  President  Hayes  offered  the  mediation 
of  the  United  States  to  the  belligerents,  and  the 
same  being  accepted,  conferences  were  held  in  Arica 
under  the  auspices  of  the  representatives  of  the 
United  States  in  Chile,  Peru,  and  Bolivia,  Thomas  A. 


AN    APPEAL  TO   THE   UNITED   STATES.          301 

Osborne,  J.  P.  Christiancy,  and  General  Charles 
Adams.  Mr.  Osborne  declared,  in  his  opening 
speech,  that  the  independence  of  the  United  States 
was  the  origin  of  republican  institutions  in  America, 
and  that  the  United  States  considered  themselves  in 
a  manner  responsible  for  the  existence  of  the  institu 
tions  ;  that  the  independence  of  the  South  American 
republics  was  acknowledged,  first  of  all,  by  the  United 
States,  and  the  stability  of  the  institutions  founded 
upon  the  independence,  being  put  to  a  severe  test 
by  the  war,  he  hoped  the  belligerent  republics,  im 
pelled  by  the  same  wish  that  animated  the  United 
States,  would  endeavor,  by  every  means  in  their 
power,  to  put  an  end  to  the  war,  by  an  honorable 
and  lasting  peace.  To  this  Chile  replied  haughtily, 
that  the  province  of  Tarapaca  must  be  ceded  to  her  ; 
and  the  first  conference  came  to  an  end. 

"  On  June  15,  1881,  new  ministers  were  chosen  to 
represent  the  United  States  in  the  belligerent  re 
publics,  General  Stephen  A.  Hurlbut  in  Peru  and 
General  Judson  Kilpatrick  in  Chile.  To  General 
Hurlbut,  Secretary  of  State  James  G.  Elaine  gave 
the  following  instructions  :  — 

" 4  It  will  be  difficult,  perhaps,  to  obtain  from 
Chile  a  relinquishment  of  claims  to  territory,  but,  as 
the  Chilean  Government  has  distinctly  repudiated 
the  idea  that  this  war  was  a  war  of  conquest,  the 
Government  of  Peru  may  fairly  claim  the  oppor- 


302  INCALAND. 

tunity  to  make  proposals  of  indemnity  and  guar 
antee  before  submitting  to  a  cession  of  territory. 
If  you  can  aid  the  Government  of  Peru  in  securing 
such  a  result,  you  will  have  rendered  the  service 
which  seems  most  pressing.' 

"On  August  25,  1881,  General  Hurlbut  said,  in 
the  course  of  his  reception  speech  at  Lima  :  — 

" '  I  wish  to  state  further,  that  while  the  United 
States  recognize  all  rights  which  the  conqueror 
gains  under  the  laws  of  civilized  war,  they  do  not 
approve  of  war  for  the  purpose  of  territorial  aggran 
dizement,  nor  of  the  violent  dismemberment  of  a  na 
tion  except  as  a  last  resort,  in  extreme  emergencies.' 

"But,  your  Excellency,  the  efforts  of  General 
Hurlbut  and  General  Kilpatrick  came  to  naught,  and 
on  November  1,  1881,  Mr.  William  Henry  Trescot 
was  sent  to  Peru,  Bolivia,  and  Chile,  as  a  special 
envoy.  To  him,  in  the  course  of  his  instructions, 
Mr.  Blaine  said  :  — 

" '  Already  by  force  of  its  occupation,  the  Chilean 
Government  has  collected  great  sums  from  Peru  ; 
and  it  has  been  openly  and  officially  asserted  in  the 
Chilean  Congress  that  these  military  impositions 
have  furnished  a  surplus  beyond  the  cost  of  main 
taining  its  armies  of  occupation.  The  annexation 
of  Tarapaca,  which,  under  proper  administration, 
would  yield  annually  a  sufficient  sum  to  pay  a  large 
indemnity,  seems  to  us  inconsistent  with  the  execu 
tion  of  justice.' 


AN   APPEAL   TO   THE  UNITED   STATES.          303 

"Mr.  Trescot's  mission  failed  as  had  the  others, 
but,  your  Excellency,  it  did  not  fail  through  any 
fault  of  his  :  it  failed  because  of  the  change  in  the 
policy  at  Washington.  While  this  special  envoy 
was  absent  upon  his  delicate  mission,  the  assassina 
tion  of  President  Garfield  occurred  and  Mr.  Arthur 
became  President.  With  his  advent  there  came 
into  office  a  new  Secretary  of  State,  Mr.  Frelinghuy- 
sen,  who  at  once  altered  the  policy  of  his  predeces 
sor,  and  Mr.  Trescot's  instructions  were  changed  by 
wire.  In  the  meanwhile,  your  Excellency,  Peru,  not 
knowing  of  a  change  of  heart  at  Washington,  had 
continued  the  struggle,  believing  that  this  great 
country  would  continue  upon  the  lines  which  it  had 
laid  down  and  not  permit  the  seizure  of  territory  by 
Chile.  Not  content  with  modifying  Mr.  Trescot's 
instructions,  Mr.  Frelinghuysen  recalled  that  gentle 
man  to  Washington.  Fully  appreciating  the  gravity 
of  the  situation,  although  he  was  no  longer  an  envoy, 
Mr.  Trescot,  on  June  5,  1882,  wrote  Mr.  Freling 
huysen  as  follows  :  — 

" 4  If  the  United  States  intend  to  intervene  effec 
tively  to  prevent  the  disintegration  of  Peru,  the 
time  has  come  when  that  intention  should  be 
avowed.  If  it  does  not  intend  to  do  so,  still  more 
urgent  is  the  necessity  that  Chile  and  Peru  should 
understand  exactly  where  the  action  of  the  United 
States  ends.  It  would  be  entirely  beyond  my  duty 


304  1NCALAND. 

to  discuss  the  character  of  the  consequences  of 
either  line  of  conduct ;  but  I  trust  that  you  will  not 
deem  that  I  am  going  beyond  that  duty  in  impress 
ing  upon  the  government  that  the  present  position 
of  the  United  States  is  an  embarrassment  to  all  the 
belligerents,  and  that  it  should  be  terminated  as 
promptly  as  possible.' 

"  Two  weeks  later,  your  Excellency,  newly  ac 
credited  envoys  were  sent  to  Peru  and  Chile,  Dr. 
Cornelius  A.  Logan  to  the  latter  nation  and  Mr. 
James  R.  Partridge  to  Peru.  The  instructions  of 
these  gentlemen,  your  Excellency,  were  no  longer 
declarative  that  Chile  had  no  moral  right  to  demand 
territory  of  Peru,  but  they  contained  the  recom 
mendation  that  Peru  be  urged  to  make  the  best 
terms  possible,  in  order  that  the  war  might  be 
brought  to  an  end. 

"  Mr.  President,  the  good  offices  of  the  United 
States  produced  the  sole  effect  of  encouraging  Peru 
in  her  resistance,  confident,  as  she  was,  of  their 
efficacy,  thus  greatly  aggravating  the  condition  of 
the  vanquished  nation,  only  to  find  herself  forsaken 
in  the  end  and  defenceless  in  the  hands  of  her 
implacable  enemy.  In  this  regard,  Mr.  President,  I 
should  like  to  repeat  the  words  of  Mr.  Hurlbut.  In 
his  official  note  to  Mr.  Elaine,  dated  Lima,  October 
26,  1881,  he  wrote  :  — 

" '  If  the    United   States,  after  denying   to   these 


AN   APPEAL  TO   THE  UNITED   STATES.          305 

people  every  application  for  aid  from  any  European 
state,  shall  themselves  refuse  any  help  in  their 
desperate  situation,  it  would  seem  to  be  almost  a 
breach  of  national  faith.  I  myself  am  a  profound 
believer  in  the  right  and  duty  of  the  United  States 
to  control  the  political  questions  of  this  continent,  to 
the  exclusion  of  any  and  all  European  dictation. 
This  I  understand  to  be  the  opinion  held  also  by  the 
American  people  and  to  have  been  asserted  by  Con 
gress.  This  I  also  understand  to  be  the  doctrine  of 
the  administration  which  sent  me  to  this  place."1 

The  President  was  silent  for  several  minutes  after 
Mr.  Dartmoor  had  finished,  then  he  said:  — 

"  You  have  placed  the  matter  before  me  very  con 
cisely,  sir.  I  am  of  course  familiar  with  the  details, 
but  I  never  had  my  attention  called  to  them  in  such 
a  brief  yet  forceful  manner." 

"Thank  you,  your  Excellency,"  said  Mr.  Dart 
moor. 

"  Your  position,"  continued  the  President,  "  is  that 
the  United  States,  by  interfering  in  the  Chile-Peru 
vian  War,  gave  the  last-named  nation  undue  encour 
agement,  and  because  of  a  change  in  policy,  failed 
to  impress  Chile  with  the  firmness  of  its  position. 
Because  of  this,  you  believe  the  United  States  should 
now  interfere  and  prevent  Chile's  retention  of  the 
provinces  of  Arica  and  Tacna  ?  " 

"  Yes,  your  Excellency." 


306  INCALAND. 

"  Mr.  Dartmoor,  I  will  place  the  matter  before 
Congress  with  the  recommendation  which  you  have 
urged." 

He  rose  from  his  seat,  and  the  conference  was  at  an 
end. 

Harvey  left  the  White  House  very  much  pleased 
with  the  result  of  his  call,  and  hurried  to  the  hotel 
where  he  had  promised  to  meet  his  old  friend,  Carl 
Saunders ;  and  arrived  there,  he  related  in  detail  the 
conversation  with  the  President,  and  received  the 
congratulations  of  his  chum  of  the  Callao  Rowing 
Club  days.  Then  they  fell  to  discussing  events  that 
had  occurred  those  many  years  ago,  and  talked  of  the 
persons  they  had  then  known.  Both  heard  with 
relief  that  all  members  of  the  two  families  who  had 
been  so  intimately  associated  were  living.  Carl  was 
delighted  to  learn  that  General  Matajente  was  high 
in  favor  with  the  government,  and  as  belligerent  as 
ever,  notwithstanding  his  advanced  years. 

"  And  John  Longmore  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Poor  fellow !  he  died  in  an  insane  asylum." 

"  How  is  Seilor  Cisneros  ?  " 

"  He  is  very  well,  and  is  resident  manager  of  the 
mine." 

"  That's  so,  the  mine  !  I  forgot  to  ask  about  that. 
Then  it  has  paid  ?  " 

"  Yes,  it  has  paid  beyond  our  expectations,  and 
made  us  all  wealthy,  so  far  as  worldly  goods  are 


AN    APPEAL   TO    THE    UNITED    STATES.  307 

concerned.  But  what  are  we  doing  here  ?  I  wish 
to  have  you  visit  me  at  my  home." 

"  I  should  be  delighted.     Is  it  far  ?  " 

"  No  ;  on  Q  street.  Come.  Rosita,  who  is  visiting 
me,  will  be  delighted  to  see  you." 

On  the  way  Carl  asked  if  Harvey  had  ever  heard 
of  their  esteemed  friend,  Don  Isaac  Lawton. 

"  Why,  yes  ;  he  is  in  Jamaica,  and  is  in  good 
circumstances." 

They  soon  entered  one  of  those  large,  elegantly 
furnished  residences  for  which  Washington  is 
famous,  and  after  closing  the  door  Harvey  called 
out  :  — 

"  Rosita,  here  is  an  old  friend  from  Callao  !  " 

A  tall,  handsome  woman  soon  appeared,  and 
grasped  the  visitor's  hand  cordially.  She  was  fol 
lowed  into  the  room  by  one  who  was  not  so  tall,  but 
even  more  beautiful  and  graceful. 

"  This  is  my  wife,  Carl.  But,  how  stupid  !  Why, 
you  know  her  !  " 

"  Know  her  ?  Know  Bella  Caceras  ?  I  should 
say  so  !  " 

At  the  dinner  table  the  guest  remarked  a  curious 
ornament  on  the  wall. 

"  Did  I  never  tell  you  its  history  ?  "  Harvey  asked. 
"  To  be  sure  I  did.  It's  the  Majerona  arrow." 

"  And  the  pincushion  ?  "  asked  Carl. 

"I  still  carry  that  in  my  pocket." 


VOCABULARY. 


PRONUNCIATION.  —  a,  e,  i,  6,  as  in  fate,  mete,  site,  rope  ;  &,  g,  I,  6, 
as  in  hat,  met,  bit,  not ;  a,  e,  i',  6,  as  in  far,  her,  fir,  nor ;  66,  as  in 
feet ;  66  as  in  hoot. 


Alma  Perdida,  Al'-ma  Par-dee'- 

da. 

Almirante,  Al-me-ran'-te. 
Antofogasta,  An-to-fo-gas'-ta. 
Arica,  A-ree'-ca. 
Arroba,  A-ro'-ba. 
Atahuallpa,  A-ta-wal'-pa. 
Ayuli,  A-y66'-ly. 
Banos,  Ban'-yos. 
Bella,  Be'-ya. 
Blanco  Encalada,  Blan'-co  En- 

ca-la'-da. 
Bola,  Bo'-iaw. 
Caceras,  Kas'-a-ras. 
Cajamaraca,  Ka-ha-ma-ra'-ca. 
Callao,  Kal-yow'. 
Cerro  de  Pasco,  Sar'-ro  da  Pas'- 

ko. 

Chicla,  Cheek'-la. 
Chile,  Chee'-la. 
Chirimoya,  Chee-ree-moy'-ya. 
Chosica,  Cho-see'-ca. 
Chucuito,  Ch66-quee/-to. 
Cinchona,  Seen-ko'-na. 
Cisneros,  Cees-ne'-ros. 
Cordillera,  C6r-deel-ya'-ra. 
Covodonga,  Ko-vo-don'-ga. 
Grau,  Graw. 
Huari,  Wha'-re6. 
Huascar,  Was'-car. 
Independencia,     In-da-pe'n-de'n'- 

c€6-a. 
Iquique,  JE6-k66'-ka. 


Islay,  E6S-1I'. 
Jivaro,  Hee-va'-ro. 
La  Punta,  La  P66n'-ta. 
Lima,  Le6'-ma. 
Llama,  Ya'-ma. 
Logroiio,  Lo-gron'-y5. 
Majerona,  Ma-ha-ro'-na. 
Manco  Capac,  Man'-co  Ka-pac'. 
Maranon,  Ma-ran-yon'. 
Matajente,  Ma-ta-gen'-ta. 
Matucana,  Ma-t66-kan'-a. 
Mirgoso,  Meer-go'-so. 
Mutista  Acuminata,  Mu-tee'-see-a 

A-q-mee-na'-ta. 
Oroya,  O-row'-ya. 
Palo  de  Sangre,  Pa'-lo  da  San'- 

gra. 

Pedro,  Pa/-dr5. 
Peru,  Pa-r66'. 
Peso,  Pa'-so. 

Pilcomayo,  Peel-co-ml  -yo. 
Prado,  Pra'-do. 
Rimac,  Ree'-mack. 
Rosita,  Ro-se6'-ta. 
Senor,  Sen-y6r. 
Seiiora,  Sen-yo'-ra. 
Senorita,  S§n-yo-r4e-ta. 
Taruco,  Ta-ru'-k5. 
Ucalayli,  U-ca-la'-lee. 
Valparaiso,  Val-pa-ri'-s6. 
Vista,  Vees^-ta. 
Yucahualpa,  W-ka-whal'-pa. 


309 


Fighting  Under 

the  Southern   Cross. 

A  Story  of  the  Chile-Peruvian  War. 

BY 

CLAUDE  H.    WETMORE. 

335  pages.          Illustrated.          i2mo.         Cloth,  $1.50. 


CONTAINING  PRONOUNCING  VOCABULARY 
AND  MAP  OP  CALLAO  BAY 


This  is  one  of  the  best  stories  for  boys  that  has  been  issued,  and 
with  great  pleasure  we  heartily  recommend  it. — Observer. 

This  story  is  full  of  thrilling  interest  and  dramatic  power.  The 
many  picturesque  descriptions  give  a  real  portrayal  of  the  country 
and  its  people. — Book  News. 

This  volume  is  so  real  that  one  imagines  he  is  in  the  centre  of 
action.  This  doubtless  is  due  to  the  author's  thorough  acquaintance 
with  the  customs  and  conditions  of  these  countries. — St.  Louis  Star. 

Just  now  when  there  are  so  many  reminders  of  the  differences 
existing  between  the  South  American  States,  and  while  the  influ 
ence  of  the  Pan-American  Congress  in  Mexico  is  being  so  strongly 
felt,  this  book  is  very  timely.  It  is  a  very  vivid  picture  of  the  war 
between  Chile  and  Peru  in  1879,  an^  a  portrayal  of  the  customs  and 
manners  of  these  states  that  is  extremely  interesting,  and  that  throws 
much  light  on  present  problems. — Christian  Endeavor  World. 

The  bitter  war  of  conquest  waged  by  Chile  against  Peru  has  never 
been  given  any  popular  presentation  until  now.  The  author  is  a 
traveler  who  has  covered  all  of  South  America  and  was  a  resident  of 
Peru  when  the  war  broke  out.  His  picture  of  that  period  is  absorb 
ingly  interesting,  and  the  promised  sequel  of  this  volume  will  be 
awaited  with  great  eagerness. —  The  Interior. 

W.  A.  WILDE  COMPANY,  Boston  and  Chicago. 


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